Birthright
by Kaye Fraser
Summary: Actions taken in the heat of the moment can lead to repercussions that last a lifetime, but as Mal and Ben discover, chances at redemption do come along, even if it is five years too late.
1. Prologue

Author's Notes:

Hello,

This is my first (and likely, only) foray into this fandom, and it's a bit of uncharted territory for me. The intended demographic for this movie is a bit younger - understatement! - than myself, but I couldn't help but find it a charming little story. Despite the 'teen' trappings of the movie, I've always loved different explorations of the 'Nature vs. Nurture' theme, and _Descendants_ touches on that in a cute, innocent way. That being said, I wanted to explore that theme and the characters in a more mature and older light, and so I thought I'd take a quick break from my other stuff to get this little story out.

This is plotted to be a short 5-chapter (6, if you count the tiny little prologue below) novella. As I'm thinking some of the readers who find this will be younger than I usually write for, I'll try and keep it 'cleaner' (and use a new pen name while I'm at it). Also, please accept my early apologies for the brevity of this story, and any awkward pacing you may find. It's a bit un-betaed, since I just wanted to get it out of my system quickly, and didn't want to spend too much time with editing.

And of course, in the way of disclaimer, these characters do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them briefly, and do not profit from anything here.

Other than that, please enjoy _Birthright_.

Happy reading!

Cheers,  
Kaye

(***)

 _Birthright  
Prologue_

(***)

He woke.

Darkness. Dampness. Cold.

He shifted. The movement caused an echo of hollow rumblings from the surrounding rocks.

He blinked the sleep from his eyes as he stood, languid motions stiffened by centuries of slumber. Life began to rush into muscles that had been dormant for far too long.

Restlessness. Need. Hunger.

The fire ignited in his belly.

He heard life. In the distance, small, human voices chimed through the deep caverns around him.

They would do. What meager relief they provided would be enough to appease him for now.

After that...

He paused.

After that, he was onto bigger and better things.


	2. Chapter 1

_Birthright  
Chapter 1_

(***)

 _Isle of the Lost  
Present Day..._

The mixture needed a touch more lavender.

Mal swallowed the bit of dough on her tongue and wiped her finger on the nearby dishcloth. She opened the jar she'd placed on the counter earlier, and silently sighed at the scent that escaped.

She really did like that smell. Lavender had such a calming effect on her, much to her chagrin. Funny what a simple little plant could do. Magic may have been nullified on the Isle, but since she'd returned here, she'd discovered that the herbs and flowers that came from the earth itself had an innate magic unto their own. She may not have been able to practice her own powers, but she'd developed a feel for the kind that grew around her.

With quick, deft movements, she sprinkled some of the dried flowers into her bowl and continued to mix. The motion, much like the scent of the lavender itself, lulled her. It was familiar, comfortable, and gave her a sense of security she hadn't ever expected. Who would've thought that her amateur first endeavor as a teenager into baking a love spell would have led to a lifelong love of baking ten years later? Definitely not her.

A sad smile crept its way onto her face. Had ten years really gone by already? Sometimes, it felt like just yesterday. And sometimes, it felt like eons ago. Ten years since that fateful day when the group of them had left the Isle for the first time. Ten years since she'd experienced a lifetime of firsts ... of first tastes, of first discoveries, and of first loves. What an adventure that had been. It had been life-changing to say the least. Ten years since then, and ... and five years since she'd been banished.

Without fail, her chest tightened at the memories. She took a slow, deep breath to ease the pressure, and focused solely on the task at hand. There was no changing the past, even if she could still use her magic here, so there was no point in dwelling on it. After several more stirs, she finally decided the batter was thoroughly mixed, and quickly poured it into the baking pan. She popped the pan into the pre-heated oven and was in the middle of closing the door when a sudden unsteadiness overtook her.

At first, she thought it might've been the heat from the open oven, but the feeling was too sharp, too unsettling, for something like that. Mal braced herself on the countertop, and waited as it passed.

Something was ... off.

This wasn't anything physical. There was an energy shift, in the air and within herself. It felt almost ... magical.

She hadn't felt anything remotely close to this since she had been practicing magic back in Auradon.

But how?

Magic was still banned on the Isle. Granted, since her adolescent sojourn outside the barrier ten years ago, travel between the island and Auradon had increased somewhat, thanks to Ben's very first official proclamation, but magic was still very much something found only on the mainland. It was non-existent here.

Puzzling indeed.

"Mal? You home?" The familiar voice was followed by a solid knock on the cottage door.

Mal shook off the unease that had settled over her, and strode over to the entrance. "Yeah, Evie. One minute."

All concerns fled the moment the door opened. Mal smiled at the sight of her best friend, all blue-haired and bright-eyed. Whatever beauty secrets her mother had instilled in her had served Evie well over the years. Her skin was as amazingly smooth and lips as wonderfully vibrant as they had been when she was younger. But what Mal thought brought out the beauty most in her friend was the inherent happiness that now shone on her face. Happy endings definitely agreed with Evie.

"Oh, are those lavender tea biscuits I smell?" the new arrival exclaimed as she gave Mal a quick hug. "Love it! I knew there was a reason I visit every month!"

A corner of Mal's lips lifted up into a half-smirk. "Gee, and here I thought it was my irresistible company that kept bringing you back."

"Yes, yes, that too," Evie chuckled as she made her way onto a chair at the kitchen table. "Now, where's the tea?"

Mal shook her head in mock exasperation as she closed the door. In the five years since she'd returned to the Isle, Evie had made a point of visiting her regularly, and for that gesture alone, Mal would never be able to repay her. It had kept her sane in the beginning, kept her from lashing out and, heaven forbid, reverting to her old ways. Now, she looked forward to Evie's visits mainly because she loved chatting with her best friend, and to indulge in the gossip from Auradon.

"So, how's Doug? How's the baby?" she asked conversationally as she moved to fill her kettle, and set the water boiling for the tea.

"Good."

Mal threw Evie a warning look at the one word answer. Her friend did this every time. She understood the reason for it, appreciated the intent behind it even, but she was far from some delicate flower that would wilt at the thought of strong emotions. "You know you don't have to be so cautious around me, right, Evie?" she said. "We went over this last time. You're allowed to be happy."

Evie looked away briefly. "I know. It's just ... It's just ... "

"If you say you feel guilty, I'm going to kick you out of here," Mal stated sternly. "Without any tea biscuits."

An amused twinkle entered Evie's eyes. "Doug's doing great. He took Vi to the fair the other day. The two of them were so cute together."

"And when are you going to bring Vivian to visit with her Aunt Mal? I haven't seen her since she was just a newborn. She's what? Two years old now?"

Evie nodded. "Two years exactly in about a month and half. I'll bring her by next time I come. I just didn't want to bring her here before because it's such a long ride, and this isn't the safest place for a baby. And ..."

"And because you felt guilty," Mal finished for her friend.

"Mal, after what happened when you left Auradon, I didn't want to bring back any bad memories."

The kettle whistled, and Mal took it off the stove. She paused for a moment, contemplative lines etched on her forehead. "I know, Evie. But it was a long time ago. And I'm over it."

(***)

 _Auradon  
Five years ago..._

Pink.

Mal blinked, somewhat disbelieving.

Maybe she'd done the spell wrong. Maybe she'd used bad ingredients, or said the words incorrectly. She tapped the glass of water - pink water - on the night stand, unsure of how to react.

She hadn't expected it to turn pink. She had expected it to stay crystal clear, and then, she'd planned to take a sip from it since she was feeling a bit thirsty. But that was now the farthest thing from her mind.

It had started with a bit of queasiness, an urge to throw up that she'd thought was because of some bad seafood she'd had the night before. Then came the heart-stopping moment when she'd mentally tallied up the days since she and Ben had decided to make use of a dusty, dark corner of the college library. That had been quickly followed by a comparison with her cycles, which had finally led to the spell she'd just done.

Shit, she was pregnant.

"Mal, what have you just done?" she berated herself as she rubbed her face, hoping to make sense of it all. She stared at the glass again, and half-hoped some divine power would tell her what to do next. She wasn't ready for this. In fact, the thought of it had never crossed her mind. She was too selfish, too ambitious to even consider thinking of anyone else but herself. What was she supposed to do now?

As if on cue, the lock to the dorm clicked, and the door swung open.

"Oh, oh, Mal! You won't believe what I just saw!" Evie rushed into their room in a flurry of blue hair and designer fabric. She plopped down on the bed beside Mal, practically buzzing with energy.

Mal didn't respond immediately. She wanted to confide her own discovery to her best friend, but after a moment of hesitation, decided to wait. "What did you see, Evie?"

"Well, you know how I've been playing around with the magic mirror?"

Mal nodded. Evie was no slouch herself when it came to magic. The gifts her mother had given her, surprisingly, weren't just skin deep. In the last year, Evie had slowly cultivated the magic she'd had with the mirror, and had reaped some interesting rewards.

"I've been practicing my scrying. You know, trying to get the mirror to show me the future instead of the present? Well, for fun, I tried to look into your future, Mal, and guess what I saw?"

"I'm afraid to ask."

"A baby!"

Mal stayed silent as Evie clapped in excitement. She watched her friend beam at the news, and at the accomplishment she'd achieved in learning the news.

"Isn't it cool, Mal? I finally got the mirror to show me something that hasn't happened yet, and it showed me that! I don't know how many years from now that was, but it worked!"

"Evie..."

"Seriously, can you imagine the fun I could have with this?" Evie continued. Her exuberance was almost uncontainable. "You, with your magic, and me with this, we could ..."

"Evie."

"We could totally wreck a bit of havoc on some of the girls here. In a completely non-evil way, of course. We could ... "

"Evie!"

The blue-haired girl finally stopped. "What?"

"I'm pregnant."

The words felt strange on Mal's tongue, as if something foreign and unfamiliar had left a lingering taste there. But as the phrase hovered in the air between them, something changed. In saying those words, the reality of them was finally beginning to set in for Mal.

"What?" Evie squeaked, wide-eyed.

"I'm pregnant," Mal repeated, this time with more certainty and conviction.

"How?"

Mal shot her friend a sidelong glance. "Well, when a guy and a girl really like each other and decide to get together ..."

"I know how it works, Mal. I mean, how'd you and Ben manage to find time to ... you know. He's always away doing his usual kingly things, and you seem to always be on the go."

Mal shrugged and pushed the glass of pink water farther away on the nightstand. "It was just that one time in the library. We were so careful too." She stared at the glass, unsure of what she should be saying or doing next.

"Aren't you happy, Mal?" Evie's tone was more serious now, her concern genuine.

"Yes ... no ... I don't know."

Evie waited patiently for her to continue, and Mal appreciated the gesture. She took a moment to sift through her thoughts, still fairly scared herself of the uncharted waters that would soon become her future.

"What do I know about being a mother, Evie?" Mal finally said. She stared at her friend, surprised she'd been able to articulate her reservations so soon. "I mean, look at the shining example of motherhood that I had to learn from. Can you imagine how screwed up the kid's going to be?"

Evie watched quietly, a rather contemplative expression on her face. Then, she shifted a bit closer. "Remember way back when we first showed up at Auradon Prep, Mal?"

Mal let out a muted laugh at the memories the question evoked. "Do I ever."

"Well, remember Remedial Goodness class? Where you said to pick the answer that sounded the least fun? Basically, doing whatever we normally wouldn't do? I think you had something there. Just do the opposite of what your mother would do, and I think you'll be mother of the year in no time."

Mal gave Evie an amused smile. The girl did have a point.

"Besides, Ben had the model parents growing up. He'll make up for all the deficiencies you'll have."

"Umm, thanks... I think." Sometimes, Evie had a rather sharp wit when she wanted it.

"So when are you going to tell him?"

Mal suppressed a sigh. She hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. But she supposed delivering the news was inevitable. "I'll tell him when he gets back from his trip next week."

"Want back-up?"

"Definitely."

(***)

 _Isle of the Lost  
Present Day..._

"Oh, and Jay just made captain of the King's Guards," Evie supplied eagerly as she popped the final bite of the biscuit into her mouth.

Mal watched her friend chew thoughtfully as she placed her own teacup down on the table with a delicate clink. "He probably just wanted the uniform," she remarked dryly.

"I thought so too, but you know he'll deny it."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes as they each privately reminisced about the past high jinks they used to get into. Finally, Mal addressed the topic that had been hovering over them for the last hour. "So, you've talked about Jay, and Carlos, and Jane, and Lonnie. You've even told me what Fairy Godmother is up to these days. You're avoiding Ben. Why?"

Evie shrugged off the observation and reached for another biscuit. "What? I'm not. Ben's doing fine. All kingly and stuff. You know how it is."

Mal's eyes narrowed. "Evie, spill it. I've known you too long. What are you hiding?"

Her blue-haired friend shook her head and brushed the question off with a dismissive wave. But Mal could see her squirming on the inside.

"Evie."

"Oh, fine," the other girl said in a huff. "You're going to have to tell me how you do that one of these days. This intimidation-interrogation thing, it's annoying."

"Evie, answer my question. What're you hiding?"

"Ben's engaged."

Mal searched Evie's face for any hint of humour, and when she couldn't find any, she looked down at her teacup and traced the rim of it with her fingertip. She took several long, slow breaths until the wave of sadness and regret subsided. "Who?" she asked without glancing up.

"Audrey."

If Mal had still been drinking her tea, she was sure she would've choked. Instead, she swallowed the bitter taste that had developed in the back of her mouth. "It was bound to happen," she said impassively. "We couldn't expect him to wallow in misery forever."

Even if some petty part of her had wanted him to, she added mentally.

She met her friend's gaze across the table, and pasted on a wobbly smile. "I'm happy for them," she stated firmly. "I really am."

And maybe, just maybe, if she said it enough times, it would be true.

(***)

 _Auradon_

The words on the petitions had begun to blur together when the interruption came. Ben waved Jay into the office without pause, grateful for the distraction. He sometimes wondered why he'd been given these duties at such a young age, and how he had not harbored any resentment for losing a part of his youth to duty. It was a testament to the teachings of his parents, he supposed.

"What is it, Jay?" he asked the new captain. He eagerly brushed aside the forms on his desk.

"We just got some reports from the eastern borders, Ben." Even though his new position required a certain respect for position and rank, Jay still couldn't change his natural, informal devil-may-care attitude. Something would have to be so very wrong for the former thief to even consider addressing him as 'Your Majesty'.

Ben didn't mind though. In fact, he actually liked being called just 'Ben'. It reminded him of a time when things had been simpler, when right and wrong were easily defined, and the world hadn't yet developed its varying shades of gray.

"What's going on out east?" He straightened in his chair and took the reports Jay handed him. He scanned the eyewitness accounts written on the sheets, a sense of foreboding slowly forming in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm not sure, Ben. But people say that several towns have been burned to the ground."

"Casualties?"

Jay's mouth thinned into a grim line. "Twenty-two people. Twelve men, eight women, and two children."

Ben met Jay's dark gaze. There was empathy on the man's face, something he doubted would've been there over a decade ago. His proclamation to bring the children of the Isle to Auradon back then had been a radical one - some may have called it naive even - but it was an action he would never regret ... no matter how much it had scarred him emotionally.

"You see it though, right, Ben?"

Ben nodded as he clenched and unclenched his hands involuntarily. "It looks like a dragon attack," he noted mechanically.

Even now, five years after the betrayal, the wound still felt a bit raw when he thought about her. "It's not Maleficent," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Fairy Godmother made sure of that years ago. Be honest, Jay. I know you keep in touch with her. Is it her? Is it Mal?"

A brief flicker of guilt passed over Jay's face at Ben's observation. "No, Ben, she's still on the Isle."

"Good. Then send some men out there to investigate. We need to know what's going on out there."

Ben looked down at the reports again, not wanting Jay to see any of the thoughts that were assaulting his mind. He could feel those dark eyes weigh down on him, trying to gauge where he stood. Then, after a few uncomfortable seconds of scrutiny, the new captain gave him a small salute before leaving the office.

Ben let out a breath he hadn't realize he'd been holding. He didn't know why thoughts of her still bothered him. He had promised himself years ago to erase her from his mind - her smile, her eyes, her borderline insolent manner that teased and attracted him to no end. He growled in frustration and stood up abruptly.

He had to get out of here for a bit, had to do something ... anything ... to get away from the ghost of her. Tossing the reports aside, he strode purposefully from the room. If only the memories could have been so easily discarded...

End Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Notes:

Dear Readers,

Thanks so much for the reviews/faves/follows! Almost halfway through the story. Hope you enjoy!

Happy reading!

Cheers,  
Kaye

 _(***)_

 _Birthright  
_ _Chapter 2_

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Present Day…_

"I have to admit, Jay, the uniform does look sharp."

Jay gave Mal a lopsided grin as he adjusted the stiff collar of the blue serge fabric. "It's not the uniform that makes the man, Mal. It's the man who makes the uniform."

Mal chuckled quietly at the comment. She had missed having Jay around. She missed his humor, his attitude, and above all, his steady presence. She knew she had his loyalty and friendship, but sometimes, she just wanted him around to reaffirm that fact. "My mistake. I apologize," she said good-naturedly. Then, with utmost sincerity, she added, "Honestly, you look good, Jay. Life here is treating you well."

"Thanks, Mal." The lightheartedness had left the man's tone too, and was now replaced by a hint of concern. "You don't look half-bad yourself. How's life on the Isle?"

Mal shrugged. "It's fine." Honestly, she couldn't say anything bad about her current situation. After all, she'd grown up on the Isle, and it was like going home. But at the same time, she couldn't say she was happy either. Happiness was something of the past now. "But you would know that if you came to visit more."

Jay had the decency to look somewhat contrite. He scratched the back of his head and affected a sheepish expression. "Sorry about that. I got a bit tied up here with the promotion and everything."

Mal knew all the reasons, thanks in part to Evie, but she couldn't help but tease him about it. She hadn't seen him in so long that these old habits were something she unconsciously latched on to. "I know. Just don't let it happen again."

"On my honor as a thief … err, former thief," he promised with a devilish twinkle. Then, he sobered. "What are you doing here, Mal? You know you're not supposed to be seen in Auradon, let alone the palace. If it wasn't for our friendship, I'd have to arrest you and report you to Ben."

Mal steeled her resolve at the task before her. Ever since Evie's visit a couple of days ago, something had been off. She'd felt uneasy the whole time, as if she subconsciously knew something was about to happen but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Then, when she'd heard street vendors on the Isle gossip about some dragon attacks in Auradon, she knew the incidents had to be related. And so, with Evie's – and now Jay's – help, she'd managed to escape the Isle and sneak her way into the royal palace.

"I know, Jay, and I'm grateful for it." She walked slowly to one of the large windows in the drawing room they'd entered and looked down at the well-manicured grounds. So many parties and balls had been held there, and she had been a part of it all. But that felt like a lifetime ago. "I heard there have been some attacks in Auradon, and I think I can help."

"You mean the ones that look like dragon attacks?"

Mal turned back to Jay and nodded.

"You don't have anything to do with them, right, Mal? Because I told Ben—"

"No, they have nothing to do with me. But that's why I'm here. I want to help."

Jay's expression remained serious. "Okay, I'll get Ben, but I don't think he'll like you being here."

"I know."

The new captain made to leave, but then stopped. "Look, Mal, I don't know what happened between you and Ben, and Evie refuses to tell me, but I've got your back, no matter what. Rotten to the core, right?"

Mal warmed at the words. "Thanks, Jay."

Jay gave her a reassuring smile and moved toward the door. "Oh, and if you get the chance, go visit Carlos. He'd love to see you. He'll either be at the museum upgrading their computer security system, or helping out at the animal shelter."

"I will," Mal said as she watched her friend walk away.

Left alone to wait, she paced leisurely around the sunny room. Like everything in Auradon, the rooms of the royal palace were immaculate and bright. The gleaming white trim of the space accented the pale yellow wallpaper, and provided a nice counterpoint to the classical lines of the furniture and the stately elegance of the Persian rug. Mal knew that Belle had a hand in decorating this room. Her touches were everywhere, from the color palette to the tiny glass figurines on the side table.

She remembered first seeing the interior of this place, with Ben as a guide. What a dramatic contrast it had been to the surroundings she'd grown up with on the Isle.

"Mal."

At the sound of her name, she turned around and met the eyes of the man she hadn't seen in five years.

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Five Years Ago…_

"Come on, Mal, it'll be fun!"

Mal raised a skeptical eyebrow as Evie tugged on her sleeve to follow. The hustle and bustle of the annual Auradon fair reminded her of the cramped market streets on the Isle, but whereas one would have to watch their wallets and their throats there, the fair here sported a more jovial air. Mal reluctantly followed her best friend between the jostling bodies. "Why would I visit some rip-off con artist fortune teller when I could just have you scry on your mirror?"

Evie grinned mischievously as they arrived at a red and black tent. "Because then I can make fun of her, call her a sham, and show her up."

"Wow, what did she ever do to you?"

"Nothing. It's just the residual evil left in me. You can take the girl out of the Isle, but you can't take the Isle out of the girl."

A chuckle escaped Mal at hearing Evie's reasoning. She couldn't argue against it. She had the same inclinations at times. "Fine. Let's see what the future holds. Ben and I can have a good laugh over this when he gets back from his trip."

The inside of the tent was dimly lit, the few candles lining the makeshift walls causing Mal to take a few seconds let her vision adjust. But once she could make out the shape of the small table in front of her, an upbeat voice greeted the two of them.

"Welcome, welcome! Please, come in. Have a seat!"

The woman who approached them was short, and slight of frame. With the lack of light, Mal couldn't pinpoint her age exactly, but she moved with the energy of youth and exuded a cheerfulness that was infectious.

Mal's gut reaction, honed from a childhood on the Isle, was to erase that smile right off the woman's face. Luckily, the conditioning of the last few years in Auradon tempered that. "Thank you," she said instead as she took a seat with Evie at the table.

The woman moved around in a rustle of skirts and sat down across from them. "My name is Susan. Susan Brown."

Evie laughed. "What? I thought the sign said 'Madame Tremaine'?"

Susan let out a resigned sigh. "Yes, that was the unfortunate decision of my manager. He thought I would draw in more people if I had an exotic sounding name."

Mal wasn't sure what she found more amusing: the fact that she was visiting a fortune teller named Susan Brown, or that Susan actually had a business manager.

"But don't let that turn you off," Susan added. "I'm the real deal."

Evie's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Yes, of course."

"So what can I do for you ladies?"

Evie jumped at the opening. "Oh, my friend here would like her fortune told. You know, the usual … love, and life, and stuff."

Mal caught the conspiring glance her best friend threw her way, and assumed her part. She sat straighter in her seat, and placed her hands on the table, palms up. "Yes, I was wondering what was in my future."

"That, I can do!" the woman replied eagerly. She gently took a hold of Mal's hands, and slowly traced over the lines on the palm. She was quiet for the most part, analyzing and likely formulating some generic story to appease the naïve girls who'd stumbled into her tent.

Mal met Evie's gaze and gave her a knowing smile. She was just about to ask Susan what she saw when the woman in question sat back abruptly in her chair with a violent hiss.

"What's wrong?" Mal asked, genuinely curious now.

"You…" Susan stared at her, wide-eyed, her voice hoarse. "You're a daughter of the dragon."

Mal threw Evie another look before turning her attention back to the fortune teller. She felt some of her dark fairy magic flowing within her at the moniker, and knew her eyes were brighter than usual. "Yes, so what if I am?"

"The widow's curse is upon you," the woman said shakily, her gaze riveted on Mal. "Your child marks the end of life for your mate."

"What?" The gibberish Susan was spouting was confusing Mal and beginning to annoy her.

"As it was with your mother when you were born, so it shall be when your child is born. The curse of the black widow…"

Mal had half a mind to curse the fortune teller herself, with all the fuss she was causing. Evie likely saw the intent in her eyes, and firmly grabbed her arms off the table and away from Susan.

"Let's go, Mal. This wasn't a good idea. I'm sorry." She dropped a few coins on the table. "Thanks, Susan. That was … informative."

Before Mal had a chance to do anything rash, Evie tugged her out of the fortune teller's tent, and through the crowds of people milling about the stalls of the fair.

It took several minutes for the power coursing through Mal's veins to ebb, but when it did, it left an icy trail in its wake. She shivered at its absence, despite the sunshine and warm air. Evie had brought them to the outskirts of the grounds, a quiet, isolated corner where they could gather their thoughts.

"She was probably making things up, Mal," Evie said calmly.

"She knew who I was, Evie. She also knew I was pregnant."

"But that doesn't mean anything. That doesn't affect you or Ben or your baby at all."

Mal knew Evie was trying to be the calm, rational one between the two of them, but she could see the doubt and underlying panic in her blue-haired friend's eyes.

"My mother once told me my father was an inconsequential no one. I learned later that he died when I was born." In the way of consoling herself, she wasn't doing a good job. Her mind raced to bring some order to the things they'd learned. "Evie, use your mirror. I think I trust that more than some random woman at a fair."

Evie nodded in complete agreement, and dug up her mirror from inside her purse. Her fingers gripped the compact tightly. "Magic Mirror, shed some light, enlighten us to our future's plight."

Mal watched avidly with her friend as the mirror blurred away their own reflections and re-formed into an image of Ben. Her heart beat a bit faster at seeing his familiar face. He'd been away overseeing some business of state for the past week, and viewing that boyish charm in those clear eyes reminded her of how much she missed him.

But the image quickly changed as the mirror panned away, showing the rest of him. He laid there, unmoving, and it was then that Mal noticed the unseeing quality of his gaze.

Dead eyes.

A gasp escaped her mouth before she could stop it, and her knees gave out at the revelation the mirror had revealed. Evie caught her before she fell completely.

She looked, shocked, at her best friend as she grasped the other girl's arm in desperation. "Evie…" she said weakly. "Ben's going to die…"

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Present Day…_

Ben looked different. He'd filled out in the last five years, his chest broader, and the angles of his face more defined. Gone was the boyish air of youth, and in its place was a man who looked capable of carrying the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders with ease.

She had fooled herself into thinking that she'd killed whatever love she still had for him. That was a lie. A big, fat fucking lie. Seeing him now, in the flesh, caused that self-delusion she'd been living under to crack and crumble.

"What are you doing here?" Ben asked sharply. "You know you were banished from Auradon on pain of death. And I don't care how powerful you are. Dead is dead, and I don't think even you can reverse that."

Mal bit her tongue to avoid saying anything she might regret. If only Ben knew how she had used her powers to thwart Death. But sometimes, she wondered if the cost had been too high. She took a moment to formulate her thoughts, to stamp down whatever emotions had escaped the seal she had put on them five years ago. She searched for and found the villainous girl she had once been. She eased up on her posture, crossed her arms, and gave him a mocking smile. "Is it so hard to believe that I simply wanted to wish you well on your impending marriage?"

"Yes."

The quick and brusque response was unexpected. "You wound me," Mal decided to say, placing her hand on her heart in an exaggerated gesture.

"Not so much as you've wounded me."

Ben's statement affected Mal more than she let on. She forced the shock of it down with an iron will. "Would a 'I'm sorry' earn me a temporary visa into Auradon?"

"No." There was wariness in his answer, but that wariness was slowly replaced by anger as he circled her, like a beast stalking its prey. "Don't take me for a fool, Mal. I'm not the same gullible boy you once knew. You made sure of that five years ago. So, why are you here? And if you don't answer truthfully, then I'm having you arrested and sent directly back to the Isle."

Mal had a snide retort on hand, but the veracity with which Ben had spoken his words caused her to hesitate.

"That was whatever mercy I had left in me rearing its ugly head, Mal," he continued as he stopped moving just a couple of feet shy of her. "Answer me before my patience runs out and I re-instate the archaic practice of witch burning instead of having you arrested."

Part of Mal wished she hadn't come back. His nearness, his warmth, pulled her, and it took almost all her willpower not to run to him. Demons below, how she wanted to run to him, confide in him, and take on the world … together, like they used to. Her assumed persona wasn't working, so she finally opted for something simpler – honesty. "I heard about the villages out east. I want permission to enter Auradon to investigate."

"What? Are you good now? Do you even care about the lives lost?" The malice in his words couldn't be hidden, but there was something else. Mal realized that the hurt she had caused him all those years ago was still there, subtly creeping its way to the surface.

"Do you work in five year cycles or something, where you alternate your nature back and forth?"

"Ben—"

"Because if you do, I don't want any part of it! I'm sending you back to the Isle, Mal." His voice had risen with his temper, and he turned away from her as he made his decision.

But he wasn't quick enough. Without thinking, Mal reached out to stop him, and grabbed his arm. They both froze, and stared at the contact. The skin of Mal's palm tingled with awareness at the heat – Ben's heat – that permeated the fabric of the sleeve. They looked up at each other, her determined gaze locking with his steely one, and in that moment, Mal swore she still felt the same attraction, the same connection they had shared five years ago.

As if the touch and the realization burned her, she let go. Why, oh why, did she feel like she was fighting a losing battle? "If you don't understand anything else, Ben, then understand this," she said lowly through clenched teeth. "You're right: I'm evil. I was the moment I was born. We all knew as much except for you with your idealistic little boy fantasies."

She turned away from him, not wanting to betray any emotions that might've shown on her face. If only he knew how much he had truly changed her. "So you'll understand that being selfish comes with the territory. Now, whatever is happening on your eastern borders is dragon-related, which means it's related to me. Is it so hard to believe then that I want to go for my own self-interest?"

She cast a quick backwards glance over her shoulder at him, hoping he would take the bait. Unfortunately, his expression was unreadable. Somewhere along the way, her impressionable young prince who had once worn his heart on his sleeve had become a smart, calculating king.

After a moment's pause, Ben opened his mouth to respond but was cut off abruptly by several cries coming from the courtyard.

"What the—" Ben ran to the windows to find the source of the noise, and Mal followed suit behind him.

Several men straggled in, some walking none-too-steady, and some walking with the assistance of comrades. Yet, it wasn't the ripped and bloodied uniforms, or the dirtied bandages around the men that drew both her and Ben's attention. It was the bodies – fallen fellow soldiers – that the men pulled in behind them that did.

Mal looked over at Ben again, the sunlight playing off the contours of his face as his jaw clenched. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to hold his hand and provide him comfort after seeing the men – his men – return defeated. But she settled for simply staring.

"Those were the men I sent to the eastern borders," he said tightly, as he continued to watch the sad sight.

Mal's voice remained somber. "Either you send more good men to die, or you send me to investigate."

 _End Chapter 2_


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Notes:

Hello!

I wasn't satisfied with the pacing in the initial draft of this chapter, and had to do some re-arranging to make it better. As a result, this story will probably be six chapters instead of the initially stated five. Hopefully, this will make the next few chapters flow smoother, but if it doesn't, my apologies! This also means I won't be able to finish this story before September (my self-imposed deadline) because there's an original work I'm wanting to finish for another deadline in that month. So, the last bit might drag on a bit before being posted. Again, I apologize in advance.

Other than that, thank you once more for the reviews/faves/follows. They always keep me motivated, and I appreciate them greatly!

Please enjoy chapter 3!

Cheers,  
K.

(***)

 _Birthright  
_ _Chapter 3_

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Present Day..._

"I heard that you were back. I was hoping it was a lie."

Mal turned in the spot she'd been perched on atop the grand staircase bannister of the palace entrance. She had kept a casual eye on the frantic activity in the area for the last hour, the servants and footmen rushing about like bees in a hive, preparing a royal entourage for a trip to the eastern border. Mal wasn't sure if Ben had wanted to see the damage for himself or if he simply didn't trust her, but he had given her temporary amnesty into Auradon only if she was accompanied at all times during her travels here.

She schooled her features to remain impassive as the new arrival neared. "It's good to see you too, Audrey," she replied in a neutral tone.

The Auradon princess stopped beside Mal, all business in her pink skirt suit and pumps. "I can't say the feeling is mutual."

Although they had never been friends per se during her years in Auradon, Mal would safely classify their relationship as being … cordial. There was only so much closeness a person could achieve after stealing another's boyfriend, but once the excitement of Ben's coronation had passed, they had at least managed to develop a level of respect for each other. That was … until five years ago.

"That's not a very princess-like thing to say," Mal remarked snidely, pasting a smirk on her face. She remembered the role she was playing here, although it wasn't very hard to play the villain with Audrey.

"I don't care if I sound like a princess or not. What I do care about is why you're here, Mal." Audrey pinned her to the spot with an accusing glare, as if trying to dissect Mal with just her eyes alone.

Mal returned the glare with a wicked smile. A tiny, juvenile part of her enjoyed taunting Audrey. "Don't worry, Princess," she said in a teasing, musical tone. "I'm not here to cause you harm … much."

Audrey didn't buy into her prodding. Instead, she remained serious, her back ramrod straight as she continued to stare at Mal. Ten years ago, the princess would've been riled up by the remark, and their banter would've escalated to thinly veiled violence. Perhaps Audrey had changed after all.

"I don't care either if you're here to cause me harm. I'm used to it. But stay away from Ben."

Mal smirked. "Oh, yes, I hear a congratulations is in order. Looks like you got the boy after all, Audrey. Though, I'm suffering a bit of déjà vu here. Didn't we already do this, I don't know, ten years ago? You warned me away from your boyfriend. And remember what happened then?"

Audrey's brow creased in puzzlement, a reaction Mal hadn't expected. "Look, I don't know what you're playing at, Mal," she said. "But even I was gracious enough to concede defeat when I saw how happy you and Ben were back then."

The woman who spoke those words, so succinct and so clear, was such a departure from the girl Mal had once known. She'd forgotten that just as she'd been shaped by the experiences around her these past few years, Audrey had likely been shaped by hers as well. "Then why are you getting married?" Mal decided to ask out of pure curiosity.

The princess didn't respond right away. Her perfectly mascaraed eyes bore into Mal for a moment, trying to assess the intent of the question. Then, with slow, deliberate motions, she moved to stand beside Mal. For all appearances, they were simply two friends casually chatting in front of the royal palace.

"Marriage is good for the families," Audrey stated in a rather quiet, resigned tone.

Mal made a sound of disbelief. "Bullshit."

Audrey threw her a sidelong glance. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Hey, I was with Ben for five years. I know enough about him, and hell, I even know enough about you, to see that that is as shitty a reason as they come. You two never cared about stuff like that."

"No, you don't know, Mal!" Audrey shot back, voice slightly louder now. "You don't know because you weren't around these last five years. You never saw the mess you left behind. You never had to pick up the pieces like the rest of us did."

Mal's chest constricted at the accusation. She knew Audrey was right, but she hated her for saying it. She couldn't meet her companion's gaze, and focused on the footmen instead.

Audrey continued, unrelenting. "He was a mess, Mal, after you left. We all tried to get him out of it, but it took years."

Something formed in the back of Mal's throat, and she swallowed hard, trying to prevent it from overwhelming her. Damn Audrey and her stupid recollections. She didn't need this. She didn't need her one-time rival seeing her tear up. Part of the reason she'd been able to move on was because of her ignorance of the destruction she'd caused.

"We slept together," Audrey said after a brief pause. "Once. He was so drunk, and I'd had a few myself. And when we woke up the next morning, it was like he'd changed. He was a different person. Harder, focused, more realistic and less idealistic. So marriage to me seemed like a logical conclusion."

There was no malice or ill-intent in Audrey's words, only acceptance. It dawned on Mal that Audrey still cared about Ben in her own way. But she didn't know how to respond to it, her emotions in turmoil deep within her. "I'm happy for you," she managed to say in a stilted voice.

"Thank you." Audrey let out a slow breath. She remained standing where she was for a few minutes, and Mal wished she'd leave, just so she could work through her own masochistic thoughts in peace.

But then, Audrey added, "Don't hurt him again, Mal. He was so broken last time. If it happens again, I'm not sure we can put him back together."

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Five Years Ago..._

Mal heard Ben's return before she saw Ben himself. The footmen had rushed by in a cacophony of footsteps to receive the king and his entourage, leaving no doubt as to who had arrived. Mal stood up from the chaise she'd been sitting on, and mentally readied herself to welcome her boyfriend home.

"Don't do this, Mal. There has to be a better way," Evie pleaded with her. She had waited with Mal this whole time, listened and analyzed the plan, and now, she was trying to stop said plans from moving forward.

Mal's resolve was only so strong, and she was slightly frustrated with her blue-haired friend's attempts at dissuasion. "I can't think of a better alternative, Evie. Plus, things are already in motion. I can't stop them now."

"But … I …" Evie's eyes seemed brighter than usual.

"Don't you dare cry, Evie," Mal stated sternly. "Think of the puffy eyes."

"But if this goes through, I … I might not see you again."

The thought had crossed Mal's mind, and it had saddened her as well, but she had forced the prospect aside and kept her eye on the larger picture. In the end, the result would be worth the smaller sacrifices.

"You will, Evie. If there's anything we're good at, it's getting our own way, even if it means breaking a few rules."

Evie gave her a watery smile and blinked away the unshed tears. "Fine, I'll go along with it, but I don't have to like it."

"Thanks, Evie." With that, Mal turned away and began to look for Ben. She dodged several footmen as they scurried about with boxes and suitcases before finding Ben in the foyer directing traffic. As if sensing her presence, he stopped what he was doing, and looked over with a welcoming smile as she approached. If there had been any doubts or reservations in her about what she was going to do, they all disappeared like wisps of smoke in that moment.

This. This was what she was working to preserve. This was what she wanted: Ben, strong and alive.

"Welcome back," she said in the way of greeting. She hoped she sounded like her usual self enough not to raise any suspicions.

"Thanks." He pulled her in for a kiss when she was within arm's reach, his movements so possessive and so natural.

Mal allowed him his way willingly. These little actions … she didn't know how much she cherished them until she faced the possibility of never experiencing them again.

He tasted of sunshine and warmth and mint. It was something uniquely Ben, and Mal wanted all of it. She sought him out with her tongue, laving his lips and then, greedily plunging further to taste more. He was startled by her assertiveness at first, his spine straightening slightly beneath her hands, but he quickly relaxed into it, and gave as good as he got. The heat that had coiled itself in the pit of Mal's stomach when they'd first touched flared, spreading fire through every nerve in her body and eventually pooling between her legs.

Damn it, she obviously had no concept of decency because she wanted him to take her right there in the front foyer, and the kinky side of her didn't care who saw.

Ben was the one with any common sense between the two of them because he pulled away first. Almost instantly, Mal felt bereft, her skin missing the touch of his.

"It's good to be back," Ben finally managed to say breathlessly, and with a look of incredulity on his face. "Had I known that was waiting for me, I would've come back sooner."

Mal reluctantly stepped away. "Now you know for next time."

"Which hopefully won't be for a while."

"Could you be so lucky?" Mal tried to sound as normal as possible. She used to lie so well, but the last several years had dulled her skills. Not only that, but Ben had developed some uncanny ability to see through her facades.

"Hey, not my fault. Things happen and I just go where I'm told," he threw back with a teasing grin. His lips were still a bit swollen from their kiss and his eyes were staring down at her, screaming promises of wicked things.

Had she been a weaker person…

"Your Majesty, an urgent message just arrived." A footman rushed toward them, a piece of paper in hand. "Cogsworth received a call just minutes ago, and he told me to pass this on immediately."

Mal's heart pounded loudly in her ears as Ben took and read the message. She could see the slight tensing of his shoulders as the contents on it registered.

"I have to go out again," he said brusquely as he handed the paper back to the footman.

"Why? What's wrong?" She knew exactly what was written in the message, but she also knew her part, and damned if she wasn't going to play it well.

Worry was now etched on Ben's face as he started to walk away. "There's been what looks like dragon attacks near one of the northern villages."

"Dragon?" Mal followed him, showing the concern expected of her. "My mother …"

"We'll have Fairy Godmother check on her. Have her make sure it's not Maleficent. Maybe magically seal her in that form temporarily, just to be safe."

Mal nodded in agreement, although she was a bit resistant to the idea. This was her mother they were talking about after all, and despite everything, Mal felt a certain obligation to keep her safe. "But I don't get it. Why are you in such a hurry?" She quickened her step, trying to match his longer stride.

"Because my parents are vacationing out by that village."

Mal knew the situation, but the borderline panic in Ben's voice threw her off kilter for a second. Still, she also knew what she had to do. "Then I'm coming with you. If a dragon is involved, you'll need my help."

(***)

 _Auradon  
_ _Present Day ..._

The car ride was longer than Ben recalled. He was certainly tenser than the last time he'd been out this way. He casually glanced over at the woman sitting beside him before quickly turning to look out the car window. He refused to give her the satisfaction of knowing he was affected by her presence, even if she was more beautiful than he remembered.

And shit, how badly he was affected...

On a conscious level, he knew he was supposed to hate Mal, condemn her and send her back to the Isle for what she'd done. But on a subconscious level, he wanted nothing more than to touch her, feel her smooth skin beneath his fingers and simply soak her all in. He'd been fighting that unwanted urge since the moment he'd walked into the yellow drawing room and saw her standing there. It had been as if the last five years had never happened, and they were picking up where they'd left off before she'd so cruelly betrayed him.

But the last five years _did_ happen. And she _had_ betrayed him.

"We're almost there." She broke the silence as she sat up straighter in the seat. "I can feel it. There's magic in the air."

He found it difficult to trust her words, but in these matters of destructive magic, he had no choice. She was the best authority on the subject. "Can you tell what it is?"

She stared out her side of the car for a moment, concentration set in her features. "No, it's like nothing I've ever felt before. It's powerful."

It wasn't the news he'd wanted to hear. Nevertheless, it was news he would have to deal with.

Minutes later, the landscape outside the car changed. Green, lush fields and vibrant, colorful flowers gave way to a bleaker tableau: the blacks and grays of charred remains.

"Oh, no..."

If Ben didn't know any better, he swore he heard a hint of sadness in Mal's voice. But he brushed it off as a fault in his own hearing. The devastation of the village around them shocked him as well.

When the car finally stopped, Ben hopped out without waiting for the driver to open the door. He wanted to assess the damage firsthand just as much as he wanted to get away from the close confines of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the scent of lavender – her scent – lingered with him.

"It's worse than I thought," he heard Mal say.

His expression remained grim as he took in his surroundings. The scene was indeed bad. They had stepped into what he assumed to have been the town square. Where quaint village shops and market stalls had once stood sat nothing but blackened frames that were mere shells of what they had been. Even now, the pervasive smell of smoke permeated the air, reminding them all of the destruction that had happened here. Life seemed to have been siphoned right out of the place, leaving nothing but ash. And this… this war zone touched Ben deeply, for it reminded him of the provincial town his mother had grown up in.

"Your Majesty."

A middle-aged man, about a foot shorter and a few stone heavier than himself, approached Ben with a small retinue of two others. He bowed politely. "My name is Henri. Henri Leclerc. I am ... I was the mayor of this village."

Ben shook the man's hand and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, Monsieur Leclerc, you still _are_ the mayor here. We'll see what the royal treasury can do about helping with the rebuilding of the town."

A small, grateful smile appeared on the older man's face, a face that had seen much happier times judging by the laugh lines on it. "Thank you, Your Majesty. You don't know how much that means to us."

"What happened here?" Mal asked as she made her way over. Ben was keenly aware of her presence beside him.

Leclerc looked back and forth between the two of them, and only when Ben nodded for him to continue did the man answer. If Leclerc knew who Mal was, he gave no indication of it. "It came from nowhere, Mademoiselle, spewing fire and destroying everything in sight."

"It? A dragon, you mean?"

The mayor nodded slowly. "There was so much screaming and panic. Children crying, and mothers with babes in their arms trying to find shelter. Only … only there was no place to hide."

Ben regretted having to make the man relive the horrors he'd just witnessed. "I'm sorry this happened, Monsieur Leclerc."

The mayor shook his head in denial. "No, Your Majesty. There was nothing you could've done. Nothing any of us could've done."

"Did you see which way it went?"

Ben shot Mal an admonishing glare. The blunt question could've been asked with a bit more tact, in his opinion, but he supposed he couldn't expect that level of diplomacy from her.

Leclerc, though, didn't seem bothered by it. "Yes, many watched it fly west toward the mountains after it was done here."

"Then that's where we'll head first thing tomorrow, Monsieur," she said. "The sun's going down, so it's a bit too late to hunt it now."

"Hunt, Mademoiselle? Surely, you don't mean to …"

"Yes, hunt. We can't have it rampaging through Auradon and destroying all the villages in its path."

Mal sounded so set in her course, a rather altruistic course for a so-called villain, but Ben didn't want to air any of his doubts in front of the mayor.

"Please, Monsieur Leclerc," he interjected calmly. "Let us help with this matter as we see fit. I'm sure your village needs you right now for more urgent matters."

"Yes, yes, of course, Your Majesty."

Ben shook the man's hand one more time, and took his leave. As the mayor walked away with his advisors, chatting about their reconstruction plans, Ben felt pleased to have done something for the town, even if it was just all reassurances and promises at the moment. It was the best he could do under the circumstances.

He turned back to Mal after Leclerc had moved out of earshot, ready to warn her against being so overtly unsympathetic during times like these, only to find that she'd walked away. His pulse quickened at the trouble she could cause without supervision, but he quickly caught sight of her several feet away.

She was digging through some rubble, brushing aside burned wood and broken stone. Eventually, she pulled something out of the mess – a ripped and ragged doll. Her fingers caressed the thing with such gentleness and care that it caused Ben to pause.

That image of her – head bowed, and her eyes so sad – was so at odds with the woman he had expected she would be. His first instinct was to go to her, to hold her and protect her from whatever demons she looked like she was battling. Yet ... yet, the rational, sane part of his mind kept him rooted to the spot. Appearances could be deceiving, he reminded himself, Mal's most of all. And even if he could forgive her for what she had done, he wasn't sure if he could ever forget.

End Chapter 3


	5. Chapter 4

Dear Reader,

Thanks for following along with Birthright. Hope you're enjoying it so far. After this chapter, I just need to take a 2-3 week hiatus from writing it to focus on something else, but I've got two more chapters left in this story, so I'm hoping to finish it then.

Please enjoy!

Cheers,  
Kaye

P.S. For the 'Spoiler Guesser' who hazarded a prediction, not bad! Close on the character motivation, I would say, but events are just a tad off. Good guess though! :)

(***)

 _Birthright  
Chapter 4_

(***)

 _Auradon  
Present Day..._

The quaint inn they found just miles from the burnt village was a bit too idyllic for Mal's tastes. Somehow, nestled in the lush forests beside a nearby lake, the Rose and Crown Inn had miraculously escaped the destruction that had rained down on the neighboring town. It was a boon for their group, Mal supposed, since they would've ended up camping out under the stars tonight had Leclerc not recommended they come this way.

But Mal was antsy this night, and couldn't seem to enjoy its comforts. Whether it was the unease caused by the residual magic in the air, the aftereffects of being in Ben's presence all day, or the images of the grim, stark destruction of the village, she didn't know, but she had not been able to fall asleep. And this was the very reason she'd ended up out here … beneath the obscenely beautiful night sky and unbelievably full moon. Around her, a symphony of crickets chirped and frogs croaked, as if orchestrated by some unseen conductor. Had any of the so-called Auradon princesses been out here, Mal was certain they would've likely broken out into song and talked to the nighttime creatures. She had no such inclination. Maybe five years ago, she might've stopped to enjoy the beauty of the night, but living on the Isle this past while had hardened her to all of it.

Instead, she ducked into a wooded trail and followed it toward the lake without breaking stride. If she could tire herself out enough with a long walk, then perhaps she could fall asleep from sheer exhaustion. But the pristine lake appeared before her sooner than she thought. The trail ended abruptly at the water's edge, with no path around it. She took in the calm, dark waters with a look of consternation.

"Well, so much for a long walk," she muttered.

She had just turned to go back when a sudden rustling of the trees stopped her. There was no wind tonight, so the sound only put her on high alert. She readied a defensive spell in her hand, and felt her magic dance along her skin in anticipation. With the unexpected dragon in the vicinity, there was no telling what else could be out here.

She had both physically and mentally prepared herself for any kind of creature to come at her, when the familiar figure of the last person she had wanted to see emerged from the bushes.

"Ben," she said in the way of warning so that her one-time boyfriend wouldn't be as startled by her presence as she had been by his. She relaxed her stance, and willed the power tingling in her blood to dissipate.

Ben froze briefly at the sound of her voice. He looked around for her, and moved toward her when he saw where she stood. "Mal," he greeted emotionlessly. "What are you doing out here? You know you're not supposed to wander around unescorted."

"Relax, Ben. I'm not going to run away on you and wreck havoc on your precious kingdom. I was just going for a walk. Couldn't sleep." Maintaining her façade with him had been a test of extraordinary willpower for her. The whole trip here, in his presence, had been a trial she hoped never to re-live.

He came to stand beside her, and stayed silent as he stared out across the moonlit water.

The air around them became uncomfortable fast. Mal gave into the need to get away. "I'm - "

"Why, Mal?"

Mal's mouth remained open when Ben asked his question. She didn't know what exactly he wanted to know, and from pure habit, she didn't want to explain anything. "Why what?" she returned, cautious.

He didn't look at her, his gaze still directed at the smooth, glossy waters. "Why are you here? In Auradon?"

"I already told you."

"Well, I don't believe you."

She stared at his side profile, his strong jaw and straight nose, and absently marveled at the regal air he projected so naturally. "Too bad, because it's the truth. I'm selfish, and I'm searching for this dragon because it benefits me."

Ben let out a humorless laugh that startled Mal. It was such an odd sound coming from him. She remembered him as being full of love and life and laughter - and to hear that empty laugh now surprised her. She hadn't been the one to do that to him ... had she?

He turned to face her then. His eyes, usually so piercing during daylight, were dark gems in the night. "I thought I knew you, Mal. And today, for a brief moment, I thought I saw that girl I fell in love with."

Mal's heart began to pound heavily in her chest. He was digging, searching for clues to secrets she wasn't ready to part with. She wasn't sure if she would ever want to part with them. She took a moment to mentally regroup before answering. "No, Ben, I think you're wrong. You never knew me then, and you don't know me now. You were living under your own delusions, and I just encouraged it."

His expression was unreadable as he continued to stare at her, but she refused to be intimidated. She stared back.

"Five years is a long time to pretend," he finally said. There was a hint of challenge in his tone, as if he was trying to catch her in a lie.

Mal cursed him silently. The best way she knew how to respond to his comment would sting, and she knew she would hate herself for saying it later. "Yes, and it's five years I wish I could take back."

Her retort had hits its mark because she saw the shadows play off his face as his lips thinned in response. She should've felt victorious in shooting him down as she did, but frankly, she was just a bit sick in the stomach. Suddenly, she wanted to get away, to put as much distance between him and herself as physically possible. Without a word, she turned and had taken only one step before a hard grip on her upper arm held her in place.

"You once told me that I made you happy. Was that a lie? Was there any point in there where you were happy?"

Mal bit her lower lip for fear of saying 'yes'. Oh, how she wanted to say yes. She'd been happy the whole time she'd been here.

"Mal?"

She couldn't turn around. She couldn't look him in the eyes, not when her vision was beginning to blur. How she wished for the days when she had been incapable of crying. It would've been so much simpler.

"Mal, answer me."

"No, I was never happy here. I lied, just like I lie about everything!" she blurted out. But her voice sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. She closed her eyes in frustration. Damn Ben and his fucking questions!

"Mal," he repeated, softly this time. She could feel his gaze on her, trying to read what she so stubbornly hid, but she kept her head lowered. She didn't trust herself right now.

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked quietly, like he was thinking out loud. His hand moved to the side of her face, stroking, coaxing, comforting, and she fought the urge to lean into it.

"Nothing," she ground out. She told her body to move away, but her traitorous legs refused to work.

"No, you're withholding something. And I want to know what."

"Look, I've told you everything-" She knew it was a mistake to look up just then. But she did nonetheless.

His lips were on hers before she could stop him … or rather, because she didn't want to stop him. She understood deep down that she had secretly wanted this - his touch, his taste - from the moment she'd seen him in the palace.

Five years. It had been five long years since she'd had this. And, oh, how she missed it. She matched him in need and hunger, greedily taking him in like a woman finding water after days in the desert. Her arms pulled him closer, her fingers caressing the solid muscle along his back before settling on the nape of his neck. A groan -his or hers, she wasn't sure - sounded in her ears. Her body pressed against his, and she felt a surge of feminine pride at feeling something hard against her abdomen.

Apparently, he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. And yet, through the heated haze of passion, a small voice inside her screamed for her to stop. She wanted to ignore it, to bury it deep and pretend it didn't exist, but damn it all to hell, it got louder instead.

Before she was consumed entirely by their baser instincts, she pushed him away. They both staggered back from the abrupt action, but neither of them said a word. Mal knew Ben was thinking the same thing she was: What the fuck was that?

She stared at him, eyes wide and chest heaving. He returned the look, face shadowed and just as shocked. In the distance, a frog croaked and water splashed.

"No…" Ben then said hoarsely. "No, you don't get to do this to me. You don't get to play me like this. Not after what you've done ..."

(***)

 _Auradon  
Five Years Ago..._

They arrived at the royal summer palace quicker than Mal had wanted. The preparation for the trip had been rushed, but the servants were efficient, and what she had hoped would've been a longer journey ended with the appearance of their destination's tall, stone turrets in the distance. Mal tried to quell the butterflies fluttering a merry dance in her stomach as they neared the majestic medieval structure. Ben's parents used this as a summer retreat often, and she knew Ben had very fond memories from his childhood here.

As sincerely as she could, she intertwined her fingers with her boyfriend's as their car rumbled over the castle drawbridge, and squeezed it reassuringly. "I'm sure they're fine. We only saw a few scorch marks on the way here, and no villages were damaged, so it might not even be a dragon. It could just be some kids playing a prank, and your parents will probably laugh at you over-worrying."

Ben returned her squeeze. "Thanks, Mal. I'm sure you're right. But I'm fine with them laughing at me all they want if it gives me peace of mind."

She had known he'd say something to that effect, even though, deep down, she had hoped he would change his mind and thwart her plans. Ben was nothing if not predictable.

The car had just pulled into the courtyard when Ben quickly darted out of his seat. Mal didn't mind the sudden abandonment. She understood Ben's nature, and right now, his infinite capacity for love was showing. She might never fully agree with investing so much of oneself into others, but she had witnessed Ben do just that several times - once before, with her, and right now, for his parents.

She told the driver to wait for them, exited the car, and followed Ben as he made his way through the entrance and into the main hall. She caught up to him when he stopped to look around.

"Something's wrong," he stated.

Mal gave him a questioning look.

"There's nobody here. No footmen, no maids, no one …"

Mal knew this moment was coming, but she had to say it nevertheless. "Maybe we should check the towers." Her voice sounded so much steadier than she'd expected, especially considering the trepidation she felt.

At Ben's nod, they were off again. They traversed the length of the hall, and checked the north tower first, followed by the east. By then, they were both breathing hard from the all-out sprinting they were doing. But Ben was likely spurred on by the worry she saw in his eyes, and showed no indication of relenting. He charged headlong up the stairs to the south tower ... and found the door at the top of the staircase locked.

He had managed to hit the door twice with his whole body by the time Mal arrived on the landing. Seeing him sweat from his exertions, she could've easily volunteered to use her magic to unlatch the lock, but in all honesty, she didn't want to. She wanted to relish being with him just a little longer, no matter if it was just a few more seconds.

The door gave way on the fourth try. Mal winced inwardly at the loud bang it made as it swung open: that must've stung given the force with which Ben had rammed it with. Even though Mal should've cautioned Ben against rushing into potential danger like this, she held her tongue. They stumbled into the room blindly.

"Mom!"

Mal knew what Ben would find, and so, she followed behind him at a slower pace. She wasn't looking forward to what would come next, and had to steel her resolve.

The first thing that came into Mal's - and likely, Ben's - view was Belle, standing anxiously against the far wall. Even from this distance, the muted shimmer of light from the magical barrier around the former queen could be easily seen. Yet, that didn't stop Ben from rushing forward to reach his mother. Mal let out a silent sigh when he was violently repelled back with a loud buzz.

"Ben, don't," Belle said worriedly. "I've been trying to break through all day, and there's no way. Check on your father."

"Dad?" It was then that his head whipped around and he noticed the crumpled form of his unconscious father in the other corner. Without thought, he hurried over, only to be repelled back again by another invisible barrier.

The moment Mal had been dreading had finally come. She straightened her spine and pasted a lopsided smile on her face. It was show time.

"That won't work, Ben." She walked toward him slowly, the click of her own heels on the stone floor echoing ominously.

"Ben, get away from her!" This came from Belle, who finally noticed her in the room.

Mal shot the other woman a menacing glare, and changed her course. She moved through the barrier - the barrier she had erected - without any issues. Her magic tickled her skin briefly before she stood in front of the former queen. Belle backed away instinctively, although the determined set of her jaw and the gleam in her eyes showed that she was ready for a fight.

"Mal, what are you doing?" Ben asked as he came up behind her, only to be stopped by the barrier once more. "Get my mother out of there."

Mal didn't turn around. She wasn't certain she could keep up the charade if she looked back at Ben right then. Instead, she kept her attention on Belle, willing herself to do what she didn't want to do.

"No, Ben," the former queen said, her gaze not leaving Mal's. "She was the one who locked us up in here … and hurt your father."

"What…?" The confusion was evident in Ben's voice. "No, you're wrong, Mom. There must've been some mistake. A look-alike, or something. Mal wouldn't -"

Mal didn't want to hear him defending her. It made things so much harder. So she did the one thing she could: with a flick of her wrist, she sent a blast of magic in his direction. Ben hit the far wall with a resounding crack. The sound felt like a thousand daggers stabbing her heart, but to keep herself grounded, she justified her action by telling herself that he was better off hurt than dead.

"Ben!" Belle screamed as she tried to rush to her injured son.

Mal stopped her easily by pinning her to the wall with a muttered spell.

"Mal, don't do this!" the former queen pleaded. "Ben ... please help Ben ..."

"Oh, you do beg so prettily," Mal said calmly as she approached the other woman. For a moment, she thought she sounded like her mother. Perhaps evil still ran in her blood after all. It had just been dormant this whole time. The more she used her magic like this, the more comfortable she became in her own skin. This … this persona she'd assumed felt almost like meeting an old friend - welcoming and steadfast.

"Mal … why … why are you doing this? What's going on?" The voice that called her brokenly came from Ben. She didn't need to see him to know that he'd gotten up from where she'd flung him. She tried not to let the pain and confusion in his tone sway her from her course.

"Why? Why? Hmm ... let me think ... I don't know, Ben. Maybe it's because I want to!" Shit, she sounded so much like her mother - all spiteful and taunting - that she was beginning to scare herself a little. "Living under that stupid pretense all these years … pretending to like this life, pretending to love you … it builds up, you know. Kind of like pent-up rage. Like a volcano! It's got to erupt some time, and I might as well erupt with a bang!"

"No, Mal, this isn't you! You wouldn't do this!"

Mal wished Ben wasn't so understanding and softhearted. It was only prolonging the torture. She wanted him angry, and even a little hateful. She would have to move this along then. "Oh, why do you have to be so stalwart and true? It's a bit sickening. This is me, Ben. This has been me all along." With a slow arc of her fingers, she released Belle from the wall, but kept an invisible vise-like grip on her. The other woman's struggles proved useless as Mal pulled her along to the nearby window. "You see, Ben, I'm just getting back to what I am, what I've always been." She paused, and threw a brief glance over her shoulder. His shocked and hurt face stared back. "You could say, I'm just reclaiming my birthright."

"Mal, don't. There's no coming back from this." By the sound of desperation in his protest, he'd figured out what she was about to do.

And from the look on Belle's face, she had as well.

"Don't … " she cried weakly as Mal walked up beside her.

Mal held her gaze, and hoped her conflicted emotions weren't too apparent. She liked Belle. She truly did. But she had to do this.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered in the former queen's ear. And with that, she sent a surge of magic through her hand, and watched stoically as Belle was thrown out the window.

(***)

 _Auradon  
Present Day …_

Mal swore silently as she crested the peak of another incline and caught up with the rest of the group. Taking in a deep breath, she made a mental note to work on her cardio after this was over. When their local guide had said he'd lead them to the nearby cave where the dragon had been last spotted, she hadn't expected it to be on top of a fucking mountain!

"You good?"

Ben's question was uttered gruffly, and likely not asked out of concern. If there was one thing he would always be, it was a gentleman. The lessons of politeness and courtesy had been drilled into him at an early age, and nothing could erase that, not even Mal.

"I'm fine," she said, hoping her lack of breath wasn't too apparent. She did still have her pride, after all.

They continued to walk, side by side, for several minutes, the space between them filled with the crackling of dried leaves, and laden with the heavy weight of unspoken words. There were so many things Mal wanted to say, things she'd practiced and visualized all these years on the Isle, but when forced with the real opportunity to do so, something inside her simply refused. She didn't know if it was because of their regrettable past, their all-too passionate kiss last night, or her own cowardice, but whichever it was, her choices and her actions had been reduced to trivialities now.

"Over there!"

The cry came from ahead, and it was a welcomed reprieve for Mal. They both picked up their pace, eager to see what had caught their guide's attention. Within seconds, she saw the gaping hole on the side of the mountain just several feet above them. Their whole hiking party had stopped, and she saw Ben quickly organizing the group to better - and safely - investigate.

Even now, when she knew she would never have him again, she flushed with pride and possessiveness at how easily and skillfully he commanded those around him. Damn, at that moment, how she wished their encounter last night had led to something more, complicated as it may have been. It would have given her something to cherish - to remember with a smile, and to keep her warm on cold nights - when she returned to the Isle. Instead, all she would have was that kiss and Ben's horrified and angry expression as he voluntarily removed himself back to the inn.

A sudden fluttering in the pit of his stomach stopped Mal in her tracks. Normally, she wouldn't have noticed something so minor, but the fluttering amplified inside her exponentially until ... until ...

The huge 'whoosh' of air sent several men in their party off their feet, and before anyone realized what had happened, a huge shadow circled above them with the ominous sound of flapping wings.

Cries of surprise, fright, and excitement filled the air. Mal looked up, a sudden rush of power vibrating through her veins at the sight. Her blood heated, and the ground around her practically buzzed from the buildup of energy. She didn't need a mirror to know that her eyes were glowing. She felt it. Her magic was oozing from her, and it was all because of her proximity to that dragon.

It was black, and beautifully sleek. Its smooth, iridescent scales shimmered under the sun as its lithe form hovered above them. Mal could've sworn she heard the distant notes of music in the rhythmic movement of its wings. She was enthralled; it was as if something earthy and ancient had risen from the seas, and she had been given the rare privilege of laying eyes on a rarity that very few humans had ever seen.

And then …

And then, it swooped down. It swooped down with the speed of something a hundredth of its size … and right at Ben.

Mal didn't even think. Instinctively, she sent her magic over in his direction, pushing him away from the dragon's line of attack, and to safety. Almost immediately, the creature altered its course. Its head swiveled around, and in that moment, Mal met its eyes.

She saw eternity in those eyes: she saw what had been, what was, and what would come to be, all in the span of that second. The universe made sense to her, all its secrets whispered in her ears by a million different voices, and she felt sublimely content with it all.

 _/Come with me.../_

The dragon landed gracefully before her, and to Mal, the world faded away. Nothing existed. Everything and everyone disappeared into oblivion, but for the dragon and herself.

 _/Come with me.../_

She smiled. An unfamiliar wetness appeared on her cheeks, and belatedly, she realized she was crying. Her body … it didn't feel like her own anymore.

 _/Come with me.../_

She took a step forward, pulled by that distant, hypnotic song she heard. So compelling ...

 _/Come with me.../_

Her hand reached out to touch the strong and elegant neck, so cool and smooth against her fingertips.

 _/Come with me.../_

"Yes." She spoke softly, almost reverently. It promised her knowledge, comfort, peace … an end to all her troubles, a quiet to all her thoughts.

And without hesitation, she climbed onto its back, and gave herself over - completely and freely - to its will.

 _End Chapter 4_


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Notes:

Dear Readers,

Thank you for continuing to follow along with this story (despite the hiatus), as well as the reviews/faves/follows. As I've mentioned before, I certainly appreciate each and every one.

I hope you're enjoying it so far. For those who commented on Belle's fate, you can probably figure out what happened to her with the clues dropped in Chapter 2 and 4. It'll be confirmed in the next chapter.

This chapter is a bit slower moving, with a bit more exposition than I like, but hoping it'll be good enough to bridge the last chapter with the next (which will likely be the final chapter!)

Anyways, without further ado, please enjoy!

Cheers,  
K.

(***)

 _Birthright  
Chapter 5_

(***)

 _Auradon  
Present Day..._

"Your Majesty?"

Ben looked up from the map he'd been staring at, unaware of what the guard standing in front of him had asked. In fact, he hadn't truly been aware of what was going on around him in general, the map included. After the dragon had taken off with Mal, everything had moved as if some invisible finger had pressed fast forward on reality. There had been men rushing about, and raised voices elevating overall confusion and chaos. Reflexively, Ben had taken charge. He couldn't remember exactly which commands he's issued or to whom; the din of it all had barely registered in his brain as he'd made a show of evaluating the area map. His mind had been focused on other things...

"Your Majesty?" the guard prompted again.

Ben blinked and gave himself a mental shake. "My apologies," he finally responded. "What was that?"

"The captain and the reinforcements you wanted, they're here. They're just coming up the pass."

All Ben could do was nod. That was right. Somewhere in the frenzy, he'd sent for Jay and more men. They needed to start organizing search parties. They needed to find that dragon ... and Mal.

His jaw clenched involuntarily at the thought. She couldn't have planned this. She had pushed him out of the way, and out of danger. And yet ... yet, she had gotten on that dragon as if she could control it, command it. He had seen it. Everyone had seen it. Once word spread, he would be hard pressed to find anyone who would believe that Mall hadn't had a hand in the death and destruction the dragon had wrought.

"Send the captain to me when he arrives," he ordered, needing something other than the wild speculations to occupy his mind. Jay might be able to shed some light on this, or at the very least, provide a good sounding board for discussion.

The guard saluted in agreement, and marched away, leaving Ben to make an assessment of their makeshift base. They hadn't moved much from where the original search group had encountered the dragon just a few hours ago. The clearing was large enough for a few tents to be set up, and for him to get things organized. He hadn't seen the need to waste time, and truth be told, he hadn't been in any frame of mind to go anywhere else. He was still trying to process and make sense of what they'd all witnessed.

"Ben, I got caught up with everything on the way over. Got here as fast as I could. What do you need me to do?"

Jay approached at a near run, and Ben detected no artifice in his voice. That, and the concerned lines on his face made him believe the new captain played no part in Mal's recent escapade - _if_ it was her escapade. Still, he knew they were close, and as much as he wished to believe in their ability to do good as he had when he was younger, Mal's actions five years ago had made him wary. He would be a fool to think a nice school and a few luxuries in Auradon could erase a friendship forged by a childhood on the rough streets of the Isle.

"Jay," he returned, and folded up the map in his hands. He tried hard not to let any of his misgivings show. After all, he was as in the dark as everyone else as to what'd happened, and he couldn't assume his newest captain was involved. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask..."

Jay's expression hardened. "No, Ben. As I said before, I don't know anything about this, and I didn't have a hand in any of it. The only thing I'm guilty of was helping Mal see you back at the palace."

Ben looked away briefly, feeling guilty for suspecting the man. But he brushed it off quickly, and squared his shoulders. He was the king, and he couldn't let doubts or second guesses cloud his judgement - at least, not visibly. He'd learned to play his part well over the years. "I had to be sure, Jay," he said steadily as he turned back to meet his friend's gaze.

"Look, whatever is between you and Mal is your own business, but know that if I was forced to take sides, it would always be Mal, king or not."

There was resolve in Jay's dark eyes, and as much as Ben didn't like his stance, he admired him for it. "I would expect nothing less," he noted quietly, and donned a more business-like demeanor as he handed the former thief the map. "Now, we need to divide the surrounding areas into quadrants and split the men up into search parties to cover as much ground as possible. We can't have a dragon on the loose."

Jay took the map. "I'll do you even better. Carlos sent along his new GIS program. Don't ask me why or what he was doing with it. Apparently, he was bored. We can use it to better track the terrain."

A corner of Ben's mouth lifted up in amusement. Trust Carlos to hack out a mapping program just for the fun of it. "Great, then use it."

Jay nodded, and took only a step before he paused. "Ben, what do you want us to do when we do find the dragon? And Mal?"

The question had been hanging over him since they'd realized what had happened. There was optics to consider. Part of him didn't want them to find Mal because he didn't want to admit he might've been duped again if they found out she'd orchestrated the whole dragon attack. And yet, the other part ... As much as he wanted to deny it, he was worried about her, and was afraid for her. What if she was as innocent in this as she claimed to be?

No, he couldn't waver this time. He couldn't let his feelings blind him. Enough people had been hurt because of it.

He looked at Jay, a sharp edge creeping into his voice. "Arrest her."

(***)

The flowers on the castle grounds were beautiful this time of year. The vibrant hues couldn't have been more vivid if they had come from the brush stroke of a master painter. Mal walked slowly across the lush green grass, and along the neatly trimmed topiaries, feeling the warm sun dance along her skin and breathing in the fresh air. But this wasn't right. Something ... no, everything wasn't right.

She'd left these things long ago. She'd left the castle, and the sun, and the chirping birds. She'd left ... Ben.

The sound of a child's giggle drew her attention to the far side of the garden. She walked toward the hedge, and watched as a little girl, around four years old, and all smiles and chubby limbs, ran toward the gazebo. She appeared intent on a mission - exploring and adventure - but she was thwarted when strong arms swooped down, picked her up, and swung her around in a wide arc. There were screamed protests but they were sprinkled with the music of her laughter.

Mal stood rooted on the spot. Her eyes were fixed on the owner of those arms.

Ben.

She tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, but her mouth had gone dry. What was going on?

A familiar voice traveled across the space just then. Mal's eyes widened as she watched herself join the group. It was a surreal sensation, and yet, rather heartbreaking when she noticed how happy her other self was.

This wasn't real. She knew that now.

But oh, what a cruel trick to play. This was crueler than anything even her own mother could devise. To show her what she could've had ...

"You've lost a child."

The deep, baritone voice beside her startled Mal, and instinctively, she made to send a defensive blast of magic its way. But nothing happened. Her magic didn't work. Puzzled, she looked down at her hand, and then back up at the stranger who'd just approached.

The man who stared back at her seemed eerily familiar. A mop of dark hair framed an angular face, and pale skin. But what really caught Mal were his eyes - dark, obsidian, and piercing.

"Dragon..." she breathed out in awe, the memory returning to her in a rush. "What ... why ...?"

"You've lost a child," he repeated. The tone of his voice was lulling, magnetic even, its deep timber resonating deep within Mal's core. She wanted to give all, and tell all at his mere suggestion.

"I - " She squeezed her eyes shut, and fought off the wave of sadness that had washed over her. There was a huge hole inside her that she ignored quite well on most days, but she felt its gaping presence right then. In fact, it threatened to swallow her whole at the moment.

"Yes," she finally said. "She was never born, but I feel the loss nonetheless." Her eyes burned as she spoke the words, and that lump in her throat caused her voice to crack. Damn, how she hated this weakness in herself.

"I have lost as well."

Mal watched on in confusion as he began to walk away. She was compelled to follow, and so, with one last regretful glance back at the idyllic scene by the gazebo, she did.

"Where are we?" she asked as she caught up. "Why am I here?"

A small, enigmatic smile graced the man's lips. "One question at a time."

"Okay, where are we?" she asked again as she grabbed his arm to stop him.

He tilted his head slightly at her touch, but he didn't pull away. "I don't know. You tell me."

It was an answer that wasn't an answer, and that frustrated Mal. "Look, I'm not in the mood for riddles. That ... that scene back there, it was in bad taste. If you're doing it, stop it."

"I'm not doing anything. It's all you. I'm just visiting," he replied calmly. "This is the only place I could go to converse with you."

Mal let go of his arm, more confused now than before. "What are you talking about?"

He waited patiently, as if allowing a simple lesson to finally make sense to a child. But when Mal showed no indication of understanding, he continued. "Look around you. Everything you see, everything you hear and smell, it's all from you: your memories, your thoughts, your dreams ..."

"We're in my head?"

"Well, we're certainly not in mine. I've been asleep for eight centuries."

Apparently, the dragon understood sarcasm, Mal noted. "Why?"

"As I've said, it was the best way to communicate with you."

"No, that's not what I meant." Mal didn't know if he was being obtuse on purpose, or if this was in his nature. She was becoming a little annoyed. "Why are we here? Why did you call me?"

She'd been brushing it off the last few days, but now that she thought about it, he had been calling her on some magical level. She'd sensed it all the way on the Isle when Evie had visited. And if he'd been able to pierce the barrier there, then he was powerful indeed. She would have to tread carefully.

"To honor a bargain."

That was unexpected. "Bargain? What bargain?"

He didn't appear bothered by her ignorance, although she was bothered by his evasive answers. She hated being at a disadvantage, and not knowing what was going did just that.

"A bargain struck many of your generations ago, before I went to sleep."

Mal stared at him, silently urging him to continue when he paused.

"I mentioned I have lost too. When I was young, many of us roamed the lands. But we were killed off, one by one, at the hands of various humans: self-professed heroes, daring knights, valiant princes ... we were hunted to near extinction. Myself, almost as well. But whereas my family fell, I was saved by one of your ancestors. A fairy, I believe you call your kind."

"Among other things," Mal supplied.

"Be that as it may, in return for saving my life, I granted your ancestor any wish within my power to give. And what she wished for was the magic of dragons, for herself and all other of her line."

Mal processed the story the dragon was telling, and various pieces began to fall into place: how her mother had been labeled a dark fairy, how she had possessed magic different from others ...

Still, her original question remained unanswered. "So, why are you here?"

"Because the magic has weakened with each generation, you being the weakest. I'm here to continue honoring my side of the bargain. Helping you reclaim your birthright, you could say."

Mal bristled at being called weak. "So you're here to 'refresh' my magic? Seems kind of extreme to destroy villages and kill innocent people for something so small."

His face broke out into a smirk, and his dark eyes briefly shone an iridescent green at her remark. Mal took a step back, surprised by the sudden predatory air around him. "That? That was just for fun. It has been centuries, and I needed to spread my wings."

At one time, Mal wouldn't have blinked an eye at destroying innocents for the sake of fun, but now, after everything she'd been through - after being with Ben - the thought sat heavy in her heart. She took a sudden dislike to the dragon for his callous disregard of life.

"They were still innocent," she asserted.

"They were human," he threw back, unruffled, as if that was reason enough.

Yes, she was starting to dislike him, and wanted him gone. "So, if we do this, what happens then? You leave?"

He thought on this for a moment before he nodded. "There's nothing left here. I think I shall head toward the eastern horizon. There are lands out there still untouched by humans."

Mal tried not to let the thought of him being one of the last of his kind bother her. His loneliness wasn't her concern, her stupid sense of empathy be damned. She focused on the fact that he'd be gone.

She was about to tell him to get on with it when another thought occurred to her. "The Widow's Curse ... is that part of the magic?" Hope, however small, started to bloom inside her. If the curse was a part of this deal, then she could do without the magic. She would forgo it in a heartbeat.

But the dragon gave no indication that he knew what she was talking about. He watched her impassively for a moment before he replied. "Dragon magic is ancient and pure. It does not deal in curses. Whatever it is you speak of was acquired after the bargain had been struck."

That tiny flame of hope flickered and died. Mal bit the inside of her mouth to prevent a sound of disappointment and defeat from escaping.

"You don't seem pleased that I am here," he observed.

"Because, unlike my mother, I don't see the point in getting power when you can't have happiness with it." She let out a sad laugh. How ironic that she, the daughter of Maleficent, was turning down an offer of power when her mother's lust for it had caused her to think that way in the first place?

"You didn't hear me. My magic is pure, neither good nor evil. What it becomes, and how you use it depends on you, just as it was with all the generations before you."

"How I use it ..." Mal repeated. She'd done a love spell, and while it may have created the illusion of happiness, it was as far from the real thing as it could get. Her ancestors may have been fine with it, but she wasn't. She'd learned ten years ago what true happiness was, and what it meant to have free will to choose her own path, and she would not taint that memory.

"You misunderstand me," the dragon said, as if reading her thoughts. Or perhaps, he _was_ reading her thoughts, since they were in her head after all. "What I gave to your family when the deal was made, what I am renewing with you now, pre-dates good and evil, curses and spells. Everything came afterwards. Everything descended from it."

Mal was still clueless as to what he was getting at. She stood for several minutes, thinking, and then ... Shit! She was an idiot!

Everything descended from it, she mused, which meant -

"Someone's coming," the dragon cut off her train of thought. He grabbed her without warning, and before Mal knew what was happening, she was gazing into his eyes, dark obsidian eyes that now began to glow a familiar green. Mal couldn't speak, couldn't move, only stare and marvel at the infinite beauty and depths before her. Every fiber within her vibrated, and a frisson of electricity shot through her whole body.

Strength ... power ... magic ... she felt it coursing through her like a tidal wave, changing her, nurturing her, seducing her. And she, throwing away all caution and reservations, embraced it and welcomed it. She savored each and every ounce of it.

"A bargain struck, a bargain sealed," the dragon said in his neutral tone. With that, he leaned forward, and gave Mal's forehead a light tap.

Her world faded to black.

(***)

The call came sooner than Ben had expected. If there was a time he was grateful for the efficiency of his staff, it was now. Reports of sightings had come in within an hour after the search parties had been sent out, and confirmation within three. Given the area they were covering, the speed was admirable.

Ben quickly checked the tablet boasting the GIS program Carlos had supplied, and noted the area that Mal and the dragon had been found. Jay was farther away than he was, which was a good thing. Despite Jay's silent acceptance of his orders earlier, he knew the former thief would never arrest Mal. He, on the other hand ...

He rounded up several men, and without preamble, set off in the direction of their search targets. If he got there before Jay, he could go through with whatever would be required.

The all-terrain vehicles made short work of the rough, dirt roads, and within half an hour, he and his entourage approached the hilly clearing around which some of the original search party had already created a perimeter.

He saw the dragon first, its large, dark outline at odds with the tranquil countryside. He wasn't sure if it saw them yet, and so, he quietly gave the command to ready the nets, and approach. They stalked it, like a pack circling their prey, and strangely enough, the whole action spoke to Ben's more primal side. The beast, often dormant within, stirred, and he welcomed a rush of anticipation at the hunt. His senses were heightened, and his muscles strained at the ready. Adrenalin coursed through his veins, and he'd never felt more alive. It had been too long since he'd indulged his ... less civilized side like this.

Yet, when he was just close enough to make out the fine details of the creature's glossy scales, it flapped its great wings, and he froze involuntarily. Some men fell back, but Ben stood his ground, willing to fight for his life if needed. But instead of attacking, it flew up, the large gusts of wind caused by its movements forcing his men to think twice about approaching. There were shouts of surprise and panic, but before any of them could mount any sort of attack or retreat, the dragon flew away.

Confused, the nearby men looked at Ben for direction, but he was at as much of a loss as they were. After a brief second though, he gave the nod to follow the creature, and several of the guards formed up to do so. He was about to turn back as well, when a glimpse of purple caught his eye atop the hill.

His heart stopped. "Mal!" he yelled. And without another thought, he ran up to her unconscious form.

He knew he wasn't supposed to be concerned about her, knew she could readily betray him now as she had five years ago, but none of that stopped the frantic need to ensure she was still alive from overwhelming him. He thought he'd killed all feeling for her, but the sight of her lying motionless affected him more than he cared to admit.

He got to her before his men, and immediately checked her pulse. Relief flooded through him at feeling the steady beat beneath his fingertips. She was alive.

"Mal?" he said again, hoping he might wake her. She looked so serene and innocent as she was. It was almost easy to believe that everything that had happened between them had simply been a dream, ephemeral as a wisp of smoke. And for a brief moment, he pretended that it had been. He traced his finger gently - lovingly - along the slope of her cheek, and marveled at the warm, soft feel of it. He hated what she'd done, hated how she had hurt those closest to him, but damn it all, he still felt something for her.

"Your Majesty, should we arrest her?" one of his men asked as he neared.

Ben withdrew his hand quickly, and stood. His skin was still tingled where it had touched her, and he clenched his fingers to bury the emotions deep.

"Your Majesty, should we arrest her as you've ordered?" the guard asked again. "She was controlling that dragon, wasn't she? We all saw her."

Ben took a steadying breath, and straightened his spine, not wanting to appear unsure in front of his men. He glanced down at Mal, and then around at the group of guards forming around him. He willed away the softer emotions that had welled up in him, and latched onto reason and common sense like a lifeline.

Then, he nodded firmly. "Yes, take her back to the palace, and lock her up."

End Chapter 5


	7. Chapter 6

Author's Notes:

Dear Reader,

My apologies for the delayed post of this chapter. I had wanted to post this earlier, but got called out of town on a business trip, and things always get a bit stressful and hectic when one gets summoned to corporate headquarters. :)

So, once upon a time, this site used to have an NC-17 rating category, and I used to have several explicit stories posted here. I may be (carbon) dating myself, but this was back around 2000/2001. However, around ten years ago, the site changed its policy to exclude that rating and made 'M' the highest. In respect to that policy change, I took down all my 'adult' stories, and have tried to keep everything a bit cleaner since then under all my subsequent pen names, although it has been hard at times. The first draft of this chapter had this issue; I realized after I'd written it that it might've been a bit too much for the rating on this site, and so have cleaned it up a bit. However, as a result, I'm personally not fully satisfied with the flow of a certain scene (you'll know the scene when you get to it), and so, I apologize if it ends a bit too abruptly. During my edits, I thought it might've been a bit much already for the 'M' rating, so thought I'd play it safe. On the other hand, if you do find it a bit much, please feel free to skim/skip until the end.

On another note, this chapter concludes the main part of the story. Still, I'm thinking I'll likely post an epilogue (mainly because this story has a prologue, and I like symmetry). :)

Anyways, on with the story! Please enjoy the last main chapter of _Birthright_.

Cheers,  
K.

(***)

 _Birthright  
Chapter 6_

(***)

 _Auradon  
Present Day ..._

The knock was unexpected and unwelcomed.

After returning to the palace, Ben had ordered their prisoner locked up in one of the tower rooms, and had asked Fairy Godmother to seal it with her magic. Since then, he had secluded himself away in his own office, and expressed that no one was to bother him. He didn't give a reason - he didn't know why himself - but the events of the last two days had muddled his usually clear sense of direction. And the knocking only put him in a worse frame of mind when it came again.

With a muted growl, he rose from his desk and strode to open the door, his mood black. He was prepared to rip the head off - figuratively, of course - of the unfortunate soul who'd dared tempt his ire. Yet, as he opened the door, he froze, mouth open, pre-roar, when he saw who stood on the other side.

"Close your mouth, Ben. That's not a good look for you."

"Mom," he said in greeting as his mother breezed by him into the room with a quick pat on the arm. He closed the door, and watched as she gave his office a once-over. "I thought you and Dad were still travelling. Why are you back so soon?"

Belle paused in her perusal when she saw the stack of papers on his desk. She let out a quiet sigh, and shook her head before turning to face him. "We were touring, but news reached us of what was happening here, and we decided to cut our trip short."

Ben set his mouth into a grim line, and walked toward her. He wanted to remember his earlier mood, but he had never been able to direct any of his anger at his mother, and so, felt it slowly slip away. "Yes, I have men tracking the dragon that caused the attacks, but ever since we watched it fly away, there have been no other sightings. And there haven't been anymore reports of attacks either. It looks like it just ... left."

"I'm not referring to that," his mother noted pointedly as her brows drew together in mock admonishment. "Though I'm glad the dragon's gone, I'm referring to Mal. I heard she's back."

Ben was afraid that was what she'd come to discuss. Instead of answering right away, he walked toward his desk to buy himself some time. "What about it?" he asked innocently as he turned and casually leaned back against his desk. He hoped his nonchalant attitude masked how uncomfortable the subject made him.

"Ben."

He shrugged, knowing deep down that his mother saw right through him. "What? She was banished, but she came back against my orders, so I had her locked up instead."

His mother made a sound of exasperation. "For all the smart and wise things you've done since you've taken the throne, you can be pretty dense sometimes."

Now, it was Ben's turn to be exasperated. There were moments his mother could be too compassionate and understanding. "What would you have me do, Mom? Welcome her back with a party and cake? She threw you out a window! She tainted all the memories I had at the summer palace, and hurt the people closest to me. I can't just forget something like that."

Belle approached him slowly, and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. The gesture was comforting and motherly, and Ben was reminded of how much he'd missed her presence. To think he could have lost her permanently five years ago only firmed his resolve to keep Mal as far away from him as possible.

"Ben," his mother started as she dropped her hand. "I've thought about that moment many times these last several years. And something's always felt off to me."

"What do you mean?"

A line of contemplation formed on his mother's forehead. "She behaved like her mother, yes, but before she threw me out that window, she apologized to me. And she sounded so genuine, so sincere."

"But she still did it. Nothing can change that fact."

"Yes," Belle agreed. "But she had been out there with us before. She must've known there was a moat out there. I can't help but think she knew the water would break my fall."

"What are you saying, Mom? That she didn't want to do any of that?" Everything in him wanted to reject what his mother was suggesting.

"I don't know, Ben. But I have a hard time believing she did what she did just because she wanted to."

"That's because you're too trusting, Mom."

Belle remained silent for a moment, and simply stared at him. Her steady gaze began to make him squirm inside, and he felt like a five year old boy again. "You were once too," she said softly. "I never wanted you to lose that sense of trust or optimism, but I can't change what happened. Still, ask yourself this: are you mad at her because she hurt your father and me, or because she hurt you? One thing I learned with your father over the years is that the more you love someone, the deeper the cut when they do something that betrays that love."

And there it was.

Ben looked away. His eyes travelled from the leather-bound books of his office to the well-appointed chairs, and finally, to the darkening skies outside the windows. He wanted to refute what his mother had said, deny her every word and call her naïve, but some buried part of him, the part that seemed oblivious to self-preservation, resonated at that observation.

He hated this. He hated himself for listening, and he hated his mother for doing what she just did - revealing the truth.

Yes, Mal's betrayal had hurt. Her actions had caused him pain, and he had denied how much all these years. He knew that, but for fear of ever experiencing it again, he'd buried that realization deep into the recesses of his brain. It had become easier to hate her than to admit he was scared.

He could feel his mother watching him, but he didn't think he would be able to respond to her rationally. She must've sensed that, as all mothers did, so she simply gave him a quick peck on the cheek before quietly letting herself out.

He didn't know how much time passed as he stood where he was, leaning against the edge of his desk. The skies darkened even more outside the windows, reflecting the turn his emotions had taken. It wasn't until another knock came that he snapped out of his self-reflection.

With the speed of a man three times his age, he reluctantly made his way to the door and opened it.

"Hi, Evie," he said tiredly when he saw who was on the other side.

There was a determined set to the woman's features when she nodded her greeting. "Hi, Ben," she said. "Do you have some time? We need to talk …"

(***)

As far as dungeons went, the tower room she'd been locked in was pretty posh, Mal mused. For lack of something better to do, she walked casually around the circular room again, noting the fine stone fireplace, plush chaises, well-crafted table, and expensive Persian rug that comprised her prison. She'd woken up, fully alert, just a half hour ago on the comfortable, four-poster bed, and had instantly assessed her situation. When she had realized she was back at the palace, she had calmed down somewhat.

She felt ... different.

She couldn't pinpoint what was different exactly, only that she was. Her thoughts and her body were still the same, as far as she could tell, but she sensed a certain eagerness inside her, as if she'd received a recharge of energy, and she just needed to be plugged in so she could get going. Each cell within her seemed to be vibrating with barely fettered anticipation. She knew that if she truly wanted, she could easily escape her impromptu prison, and run rampant as she pleased, but common sense steadied her, and kept her in place. Besides, a tiny part of her wanted to see Ben again; she wanted to explore where her newfound power and realizations would lead.

She had made just two laps around the room when her secret wish was answered. The unnaturally loud click of the lock unlatching stopped her in the middle of the room. Strangely enough, she sensed who was on the other side, and that did nothing to stop the nervousness from overtaking her.

Ben walked into the room with purpose, the echo of the closing door and his heavy steps inflating the trepidation growing inside her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said slowly. His face was unreadable, but his mood was dark. She could feel the barely leashed anger radiating off of him.

"I didn't know anything about the dragon, Ben. Honest!" she hedged. She knew this wasn't what he was referring to but her misguided sense of denial forced her to avoid the topic just a little while longer.

"That's not what I'm talking about!"

His volume had risen, and as if he'd planned it, the skies outside rang with a loud clap of thunder, causing the room to rattle. And although her insides shook from the sound, she didn't cower. In fact, it had the opposite effect. She stood taller, her stubbornness forcing her to meet his fury head-on. "How?" she asked steadily.

"Evie."

Even before he said her name, Mal had guessed her friend might've been the one to tell him. Yet, she didn't blame her. She was actually a little grateful Evie had done most of the dirty work for her. "I was trying to save your life," she stated plainly.

Her unruffled attitude must've irked Ben even more because his expression grew darker. "You had no right to do what you did!" he yelled. The entire room vibrated at his words, and Mal was reminded in that moment that despite his very human exterior, Ben was still part beast. He stalked toward her, and instinctively, she readied a spell in case their argument escalated. But he stopped just short, and gave her an accusing look. "It was my child too. And I should've had a say!"

Mal clenched her jaw at the guilt caused by his words. Underneath that fury at her, she could hear the hurt, and something in her chest tightened in response. "But I know what you would've done, Ben." She refused to be intimidated or manipulated by these emotions he invoked, and met his gaze directly. "You would've done the 'good' thing, and tried to save everyone, at the expense of your own life. I couldn't risk it."

"It's my life to risk! You're so fucking arrogant, Mal!" Ben spat. He took a step toward her, and she unconsciously moved back. "Don't presume to know me, or make decisions for me!"

"I'm arrogant?" She bristled at the insult. "Well, at least it's better than being naïve! Between the two of us, I'm the one with the balls to make the hard decision, and do what had to be done! You would've wanted to fight it together, like we always did, thinking good will win out in the end. But newsflash, Your Majesty! Good is strong, but reality is stronger. And this is reality!"

"And what did that get you?"

His words were cold, condemning, and they couldn't have cut her any deeper had he actually done it with a knife. He reminded her of such a dark time in her life, a time she was lucky to have gotten through with her sanity intact, and she hated him for it. She had called him naïve, but she mentally conceded that she had been the same five years ago. She had so ignorantly thought she'd been saving everyone's lives, that banishment to the Isle and its nullifying effect of magic would save her unborn child's and Ben's lives. And yet, that hadn't ended up being the case. She had miscarried anyways, and not a day went by that she didn't fight the guilt along with the all-consuming sadness.

But Ben couldn't read her thoughts. He must've taken her silence as more defiance because he continued to approach her, the aura around him both menacing and dangerous. "You say you saved my life, but what do you have to show for it? Nothing!"

There was so much fury, and even as Mal backed herself all the way to the wall, she felt her own anger rise, despite the tears beginning to blur her vision. Shit, how she hated and loved him at the same time. "I saved your life, you fucking idiot!" she shot back, her voice shaky, but laden with rage and pain that battled for dominance within her.

He punched abruptly the wall beside her in response, and without thought, she threw a defensive blast of magic at him. He flew across the room, and knocked the wooden table over with a loud bang. Another teeth-clattering clap of thunder sounded outside, shaking the whole room. The heavy patter of rain on the tower's roof followed. A tear, unwanted and so damning, slid slowly down her cheek as she walked over to him, the realization she'd been hiding from even herself suddenly coming to light now. "But I saved mine as well," she said weakly when she stopped beside him and knelt down. His eyes, so beautifully clear, stared up at her, puzzled. "I said I was selfish," she added. "If you had died ... I would've died as well."

The truth hurt. It exposed her weakness, her vulnerability ... it exposed _her_. And Mal understood that in that moment, Ben held all the knowledge and power needed to destroy her, the dragon's gift aside. That was how strong her love was for him had been - and was - and she prayed to whatever omnipotent being was listening that he would wield this new weapon wisely.

Yet, before she even had a chance to come to terms with her own confession, he grabbed her, and rolled them until she was on her back, with him straddling her. The move was so sudden, Mal couldn't react. She froze as he leaned forward, his warm breath ghosting over her skin.

"No," he ground out. "Not fair."

No, it wasn't. Mal would be the first to admit that. But life never played fair. And Ben didn't either, because he bent down even more, and took her lips in a rough kiss. It wasn't gentle, and it wasn't tender. In that contact, Mal tasted the hurt, betrayal, and anger built up from the last five years, and she welcomed it. She savored it, and gave back as good as she got. Her fingers moved up, and ran through his hair, tightening when he bit down on her lower lip. She bucked, and rolled the two of them over until he landed heavily on his back.

She broke their kiss, and licked the blood that he had drawn with relish. He watched her with hooded eyes, the fire and passion barely masked, but she knew they both mutually suffered the same need. They wanted each other - she felt as much in the hard cock pressed against her inner thigh - but the desire to hurt, to dole out the pain to her physically in recompense for the pain she had cause shone clearly in his eyes. She knew a similar light shone in hers.

As if spurred by some unspoken agreement, he reached up and pulled her in, his hand grabbing her tightly behind the neck. She allowed it, tasting him again, his salty skin mixing with the metallic tang of her blood. He rose abruptly, lifting her with him, and Mal became only more aroused by his show of strength. He maneuvered them toward the bed, and through her red haze, she heard fabric being torn, and felt cool air rush up along her sensitive skin.

Every nerve, every fiber within her screamed for release, burning and straining from the cruel, sweet torture that Ben was inflicting. He pulled his lips away, his mouth travelling erotically along her jaw line, her neck, and eventually, to her breasts. Her nipples hardened in anticipation, and she reached down to hurry him along, but he grabbed both her wrists with one hand and immobilized them.

"No," he said gruffly, before carefully and slowly continuing his task. He tasted her skin, leaving a rapidly cooling trail along his wake, until he eventually took a nipple into his mouth. He teased her. He teased her with his tongue and with his teeth until she was writhing in agony.

He was going to make her beg, and damn him, with a whimper, she did. "C'mon, Ben, just do it already," she muttered through clenched teeth.

He pulled away, a feral gleam in his eyes. "No, not until I say," he responded huskily.

Fucking bastard.

And he took his time. He played with her body as if he'd been planning the torture for years - and perhaps he had - but when he finally did enter her, Mal felt a sense of completion she had never expected to feel again. She savored each smell, each sound, each touch as if it were her first and her last. Their bodies moved with perfect synchronicity, hips grinding, breaths hitching to a primal rhythm they had both known since time immemorial. And when the moment came, when Mal's world disappeared into a glorious flash of white, she knew something between them, something within her, had been irrevocably and forever changed.

(***)

"Was it a girl or a boy?"

Mal tried to overcome the blissful lethargy that had settled over her, but gave up after a half-hearted attempt and remained as she was: so comfortably pressed up against Ben after their intense bout - or rather, three bouts - of sex. She took another moment to enjoy the warmth beneath her cheek as she listened to the steady beat inside his firm chest.

"A girl," she said finally. She was saddened by the reminder of her loss, but for the first time in five years, her heart didn't feel like it was being ripped out of her at the memory. "I miscarried a few months after returning to the Isle."

Ben's arm tightened around her in response. "I'm sorry you had to go through it alone." Oddly enough, the rumble of his voice beneath her ear made his words more soothing. "After you were banished, I would stare out at the Isle every day, and wonder what you were doing. I didn't know …"

"No, you didn't know, and that was my fault." Even now, her pride was stinging at the admission, but she couldn't continue to deny it.

"You're the strongest person I know, Mal," Ben said after a short pause. "But no one should go through something like that alone."

Every muscle in Mal's body froze. He'd said 'person'. Not 'girl', or 'woman', but 'person'. He'd said she was the _strongest_ _person_ he knew with such esteem and admiration, and right then and there, she didn't think she could love him any more. It made her happier than if he'd said he loved her a hundred times. She twisted around, pushed herself up on her elbows, and gave him a quick, chaste kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," she stated simply.

"For what?"

He looked at her innocently, totally oblivious to the compliment he'd given her. And she didn't feel like enlightening him. "For forgiving me," she answered instead. "For loving me."

"Was that what I did?"

There was a light in his piercing eyes that told Mal full well the question was rhetorical. He didn't have to say the words out loud for her to know what she'd said was the truth. She felt it. She leaned over again, and this time, gave him a kiss that was far from chaste. She tasted and teased him with her tongue until he groaned with discomfort and need. Only when he began to squirm a bit did she pulled away with a playful nip.

"You little witch," he breathed out in frustration. But the indulgent tilt of his lips showed no trace of anger. "So does this mean you're staying? You won't do something crazy like throw my mother out a window the moment something unexpected happens? Evie said the curse …"

Mal placed a quieting finger over his mouth. "I've been thinking about that. The dragon …" She stopped, and took a moment to silently go through her hypothesis. "He gave me a gift. My magic, it's stronger now, mainly because he renewed what had weakened over the generations. And I was going over this; the curse is a derivative of the dragon's magic. Whoever cast the curse must have been generations removed from the original as well, and weakened like I was. With my refreshed magic, straight from the source, I'm bound to be more powerful now than the curse. I think with a bit of research, I can break it."

Having spoken the reasoning behind her new course of action out loud, Mal felt even more confident. She gazed steadily at Ben, who rubbed his index finger between her brows. He'd started to do that years ago when he'd discovered a crease formed there whenever she was deep in thought. The touch relaxed her with its familiarity.

"Good," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Even if you didn't think you could break it, I would've made you stay anyways, and we would've tried to find a solution together."

She heard the teasing undercurrent in his statement, and knew he was mocking the heated things she'd said in their earlier argument. "So predictable," she grumbled good-naturedly.

"But you love me nonetheless."

Mal gave him a light slap on the chest. "Don't go putting words in my mouth, Your Majesty."

They both understood their banter was not to be taken at face value, which was why Ben pulled her in for another kiss. And why Mal gave in easily.

This time, they kept it tender and warm. The way Ben's fingers stroked the side of her face, and the way he worshipped her with his mouth ... Mal had never felt more cherished ... or loved.

And then, she pulled away, a sudden thought popping into her head.

Ben stared up at her, bewildered. "What?"

A small, wicked laugh escaped Mal as she gazed possessively down at her re-discovered lover. "Audrey's going to have an aneurysm," she said triumphantly. "I got the boy again …"

End Chapter 6


	8. Epilogue

Author's Notes:

Dear Reader,

I thought I'd cap this story off with an epilogue (Thanks for the vote, Kingson24601!). I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! It was definitely a pleasure to borrow and play with the characters for a bit.

And a sincere thank you to all those who faved, followed, and reviewed - especially those who've reviewed multiple times. Thank you, thank you! I appreciate it very much.

I wasn't thinking of writing anything else for this fandom, though I do have a half-formed idea, but I'm not one to post if I don't have everything planned out in advance. So, if I don't, I wish you all many happy reads and thank you again for following along!

Cheers,  
Kaye

P.S. Blatant self-promotion: If you do like my writing (as well as enjoy GBLTQ - or more specifically, male/male - romances), I've got a short story coming out with Torquere Press this holiday season in their anthology 'Holiday Want Ads'. The story, titled _Boyfriend For Rent_ , follows what happens when a rich playboy must hire a fake boyfriend to keep his father's company. If you're interested, please do check it out. I believe the anthology will be released in December with a whole lot of other talented authors, though my story will be under one of my other pseudonyms, G.O. Noce. It should be available on Torquere's website as well as e-book outlets such as Amazon, Google Play, etc. Interesting tidbit: the break I took in the beginning of September was to get this story done. Okay, blatant self-promotion over! :)

(***)

 _Birthright  
Epilogue_

(***)

 _Auradon  
Four Months Later..._

 _"Your world has changed."_

 _Mal turned to look at the owner of the voice. She was startled by it, but not surprised. "Dragon, why are you here?"_

 _He clasped his hands behind his back, and gave his surroundings a slow assessment. "Your landscape ... it feels more serene now."_

 _Mal had forgotten how he liked to avoid direct answers. She glanced around at the gently rustling trees and the wooded path, and conceded that everything here felt ... right. There was a marked difference from the last time they'd talked. "Yes, it is," she noted. "Now, why are you here?"_

 _The corner of his mouth tilted up into an enigmatic smile, and Mal's suspicions rose because of it._

 _"I was summoned," he answered as he began to casually walk away._

 _"Summoned? But I didn't summon you. I don't know how." She followed, wanting more of an explanation._

 _"Not by you."_

 _That halted her for a second. Her brows drew together in confusion. "If not me, then who?"_

 _He paused. A gentle breeze ruffled his dark hair as he turned to wait for her to catch up - both physically and mentally._

 _But Mal didn't. She didn't feel like playing this game, and so, stood her ground and waited for him to answer._

 _When he realized she'd dug her heels in, he relented. "Your family legacy continues."_

 _"What?" If she had a dollar for every time he answered with a riddle ..._

 _"You don't feel her?"_

 _Mal was still at a loss._

 _The dragon moved back toward her, his neutral expression revealing nothing. "I simply came by to answer her summons, and to properly make her acquaintance. I believe you will soon."_

 _And with that, he walked past her._

 _She stood for a moment, confused by his words. And then ..._

 _"Wait!" she called out to him as she placed a reverent hand on her lower abdomen._

 _He stopped._

 _"Thank you, Dragon."_

 _He nodded in response before continuing on his way._

"Mal?"

She blinked. Ben stood several feet in front of her, looking back and waiting expectantly for her to follow. What had seemed like several minutes conversing with the dragon in her head had only been a few seconds in reality. It was a bit disconcerting, and Mal didn't think she would ever get used to it.

"Coming," she said as she jumped over an exposed tree root to follow Ben toward the suspension bridge. "What's the rush anyways? It's just the enchanted lake. We've been there a hundred times already. It's not like you're planning to re-create our first date and propose or something."

There was a slight stiffening of his shoulders at her comment that stopped her for a moment.

She wanted to laugh when she realized that she'd guessed his plan. Poor Ben. Knowing him, he'd likely had every little detail planned in advance too.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else," he suggested, trying to cover up the fact that his surprise had been ruined.

The tiny evil part of Mal wanted to let him suffer a bit longer, but she decided to take pity on him. She quickly hopped over a few broken branches to catch up, and entwined her fingers with his. She gave him a lopsided grin and said, "No, I think we should go to the lake still. I've got a surprise for you."

She pulled him along, enjoying the fresh air and soothing sounds of nature. When they arrived at the bridge, Ben held her back.

"Mal, are you happy?" he asked. His eyes held genuine curiosity, but in them, she also saw love, and a whole world of infinite promises and possibilities.

She felt a small flutter in her stomach, and smiled. "Yes, Ben. Extremely."

 _End Epilogue  
End Birthright_


End file.
